Heartbeat
by Itaweasel-hime
Summary: Nothing could possibly have prepared him for this. Girls were nothing but trouble, he decided quietly. Not that he would really have it any other way. Non-massacre.
1. Prologue: First Breath

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

_This life starts with a heartbeat,_

_Is it beat, beat, beat, beat, beating me down, like the loser I am?_

* * *

The sunset was tinting the village in bright hues of pink and orange, the tall trees of its forests creating black silhouettes in stark contrast. It was the beginning of summer, so it was already eight o'clock at night, and the air was still suffocatingly hot, bordering unbearable. In the shade, however, the summer's heat was something more tolerable.

After a long, peaceful day to himself, Uchiha Itachi now found himself reclined on the branch of a tall elm tree on the edge of Konoha's great woods the village had been named for. He much preferred to lounge here after training all day to returning to the Uchiha compound. His mother certainly complained about it, since it was rare when he got a day off, as the youngest ANBU captain in Konoha history.

She always argued that he hardly needed to train more, since he was only thirteen, and was already so highly ranked, but he disagreed. There was something worth being stronger for. If he wanted to be capable of protecting his family, he had to be more powerful than anyone else. That adage, _there is always a bigger fish, _stood true, and Itachi did not want to risk meeting someone capable of beating him, if it meant his family would be in danger.

He understood his mother's concern, because though she had once been a kunoichi herself, she had never wanted her children to follow in the footsteps of her and their father. As it was, though, Itachi was already a renowned shinobi, and his little brother had recently been enrolled in Konoha's ninja academy. It was what was expected of them both, as heirs to the Uchiha clan.

Besides, his mother had known what was expected of her when she had agreed to marry his father, head of their clan. One day, he too would be expected to find a suitable bride, preferably within the women of his clan. Momentarily, Itachi wondered if he would, like his father, feel proud of the macabre prizes his own children brought home with each defeat.

Somehow, it had not felt right to celebrate his first kill, but his father had seen him as the pride of his clan. He had been a child, and his mother would have interjected, saying he _still _was a child, even if he was given the burdens of a grown man. It had been a time of war, and though he still thought of that fateful day with uneasiness, killing his enemy had been necessary. It was either live as a killer, or die as an innocent child. He had chosen to live, accepting the consequences of being a murder, even if it meant being damned into hell.

His only hope now was that he could protect Sasuke from the fate he suffered. He was a child, and had never seen the horrors of war. Itachi suspected that he never would, considering how powerful Konoha had become, exiting that war. No one dared bother them, now that they were the strongest shinobi nation out of the five main hidden villages.

Now, if they were somehow weakened from the inside, that was a completely different matter. He knew that, for the longest time, the Uchiha clan had planned to overtake the village, but that had been quickly put to an end. Itachi had immediately gone to the Sandaime, hoping that the current Hokage would somehow be able to help. It had been a matter of top security in their village, and naturally, he had asked for consultation from his council of elders.

Danzo, the only of Konoha's elders that Itachi had not been too familiar with, since he was mostly in charge of an underground organization, kept deeper undercover than ANBU, had been hasty to suggest the clan be annihilated. Itachi had understood the warmonger's reasoning, but this idea was unacceptable. Killing his family, or letting someone else do so, was not something he could possibly do. Thankfully, the Hokage had resolved to reason with the Uchiha clan in a peaceful manner, and the issue had been dealt with.

Understanding that the Uchiha clan wished for a sense of power that had not been permitted to them by the Senju for generations, the Hokage had been able to give them what they deserved. Their clan had always been neglected, and not allowed to take part in Konoha's government. The Sandaime could see now that this had been unjust, and gave Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the Uchiha clan, a seat on his council.

Itachi was just glad his father had accepted the position he had been offered, rather than fighting. Perhaps his father was not as aggressive as he had originally thought, and only wanted justice for his clan.

Sighing to himself, Itachi propped his arms behind his back. Perhaps he would pick up a small snack before returning home. It still felt awkward within the walls of his clan's compound, because everyone knew that he had been the one to warn the Hokage of their intentions. He could not yet tell if they were angered by his actions, or relieved that he had gone to the Sandaime, so they had not needed to make such a drastic move to get what they wanted.

Either way, he knew that the feeling was pass in a year or two, and the mess would be completely forgotten. It was not as if they talked about him at all, and at least no one his age was aware of it, so he was still able to interact with some of the clan members. Not that he was much of a social person either way.

Silently contemplating over what he should pick up to snack on later, his thoughts were interrupted by the seemingly loud snap of a twig. Instantly, he was on his guard, crouched over on his branch with Sharingan spinning wildly and katana drawn. The culprit in question came tumbling into view a few seconds later, her pink hair flurried, her vivid, emerald eyes wide and terrified. He let out a breath of relief, sheathing his katana, before inspecting the young girl more closely.

The girl, whoever she was, had been badly beaten, and was covered with bruises. She did not seem to realize he was there, but the source of her fear, and the reason she had hobbled into his training area quickly made itself known with the sounds of laughter. His eyebrows knit together in curiosity as she brought her clenched fists up to her chest in a form of self-preservation and silently sobbed.

Her pursuers stalked into the training area soon after, cackling at her pathetic state, and sharing high-fives at their success at terrorizing the small girl. The group that had been following after the beaten child consisted mostly of other young girls in her age range, and perhaps a few that were a year or two older. What had stunned Itachi was that he recognized some of the faces bellow, who had spent the late afternoon tormenting the poor girl, by the looks of it.

Frowning, he observed as the group started to move towards to young girl, who had backed herself into the tree had been lazing in. He knew he could not knowingly let the group pick on her further, especially since some of the girls beneath him were from his own clan. Gracefully, he leapt from the tall elm's branch, landing with ease in front of the abused girl. He did not turn to see her reaction, instead glaring at the young girls who had been clearly torturing her earlier.

While most of the gang had run off in fear like the cowards they were, the Uchiha girls had known better. Either way, he would be speaking to their parents about their disgraceful behavior, but it was better that they faced him now, rather than later, when their parents had fully scolded them. He was the heir, and they automatically respected him, already in training to become a proper, Uchiha bride at their young age.

He crossed his arms though, and already he could sense their panic. "Is this any way for an Uchiha to act?" Itachi asked stonily, sending one of his most frightening scowls in their general direction. "I am most displeased with what I have seen."

The three Uchiha girls stared at their feet, unable to summon the strength to look him in the eye. He could tell that they had tears in their eyes, mortified that they had done anything considered shameful by the Uchiha heir. Satisfied, he commanded, "I want you to apologize."

"We're sorry, Uchiha-sama, for our disgraceful behavior," they intoned in unison, each still unable to look at him in shame.

"I didn't mean to apologize to me." He returned sternly, stepping aside to give them a full view of their own handiwork. The young girl stared up in shock, first at the young man who had come to her rescue, then at the three who had been bullying her all day. To say she was surprised that this mysterious boy cared enough to make them ask for her forgiveness.

Three heads shot up in surprise, clearly showing that they were not repentant for their actions in the least. Not that Itachi was too astonished by this, taking into account the battered girl's appearance.

Sakura was tempted to tell the boy who had appeared as if by magic that she was fine, and it was not necessary that he make them apologize to her. It was not as if this was the first time it had happened. Ever since she had entered the ninja academy, her classmates had done nothing but pester her for her abnormally large forehead. She was smart enough to know it was less because of her unusual characteristics, and more because she had one of the brightest minds in the class, and was Iruka-sensei's favorite.

She was under the impression that he would not appreciate if she said this though, so refrained herself from bothering him, when he had been so kind to save her to begin with. All she could think was that she was lucky she had run into this part of the forest, so he could swoop down and help her. It was the first time anyone had payed her much attention. Many people thought it was not right that a girl from a civilian family should be more knowledgeable than those from a shinobi background.

Much to her surprise, all three girls got onto their hands and knees, begging for her forgiveness. Their apology was stunning, though she was not deluded into thinking she was doing it for her sake. This boy, whoever he was, had some sort of power over them. Considering their matching, long black hair and pale skin, she could only guess that they were related somehow. That's right, the boy had said _Uchiha. _They must have been from the same clan.

For a second, she had been tempted to not accept their apologies, but after looking at their pitiful expressions, she could not help but smile. She was not the sort to hold anyone in contempt anyway. Only slightly relieved, the three girls ran off, leaving her alone with the strange, older boy.

He turned on her, his expression changing from the hard, pointed glare he had given her bullies to a blank, impassive one she could not read. She looked up at him in a sort of awe, wondering why an Uchiha would ever help her. Sakura was just another civilian girl, with no abnormal abilities or talent as a kunoichi in training. He had no reason to assist her, when several other shinobi had seen her being picked on, and never cared to come to her aid.

He reached to grab her chin gently, but before he could do so, she flinched away from him. Itachi was not sure why this bothered him so; it was understandable that a girl that had been beaten black and blue would be wary of him, especially since he had just scared off her tormentors. If anything, she must have thought him to be more formidable than they were. Exhaling slowly, he knelt down to her level, carefully inspecting the swelling bumps on her face and arms.

Not wanting to startle her, he reached into his back pouch, pulling out a tube of salve he always kept on hand, in case of sustaining injuries. Dabbing the tip of his finger with the thick ointment, he spread it over the sensitive skin of her face, then her bruised arms. Sakura subconsciously relaxed at his tentative care, even though she had flinched away from him a few moments before.

Finished, Itachi put the salve back into his weapons pouch. She stared up at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to back out of her personal space. He chuckled in his own amusement, parting her pink bangs to tap her forehead with his pointer finger. Sakura hardly knew what to do with this strange action, and continued to gaze up at him in confusion.

"Why were they picking on you?"

His tone had been unusually indifferent, lacking the care she had been expecting from someone who had just treated her injuries. Sakura blinked, turning away in embarrassment. She did not want to tell her rescuer the truth, that she was too weak to protect herself from bullies. She was all brains and no brawn, and needed someone there to keep the teasing children from shinobi families at bay.

Sakura did not even understand why they hated her so much. She had never done anything to them, at least, as far as she was concerned. Most of them, she had never even seen before the first day at the academy. Even then, she had never spoken with any of the shinobi children before attending. She lived in a normal, civilian family, that had never seen any true strife.

She hardly knew why she even wanted to become a shinobi, since she had never grown up around violence. Sakura just had that urge to protect her little family, and she knew she could do that, if she became a kunoichi. Her parents certainly did not approve of her choice, not wanting their only daughter to be corrupted by the savage ways of shinobi. They had undoubtedly expected their sole child to grow up and become a proper wife to some foreign businessman. That was what most civilian parents hoped for.

Perhaps she was not cut out for the life of a kunoichi, but Sakura still wanted to try. Maybe no one she knew wanted to help her, besides Iruka-sensei, but eventually, she wanted to do something useful for her village. She just had to get stronger.

Itachi realized that she was not going to respond so easily. He could see tears threatening to spill, and knew that he had to figure this out using a different tactic. He hardly knew why he even cared, but something about this little girl was unalike anyone else he knew.

"You are in the ninja academy, are you not?" He asked cautiously, drawing her teary gaze back to him. Biting her pink, lower lip, she nodded her head, sniffling quietly, wide, verdant eyes focussed on him. She certainly was bold with him, though he suspected that she had no idea who he even was, or his rank. If so, she was undoubtedly have been scrambling for her precious life, as the others had. He often had that sort of affect on people, especially those that were younger.

"Then why didn't you defend yourself against them?" Itachi questioned.

She whispered something so quietly, even his trained ears could not detect it, not that he needed to. Itachi had trained himself to read lips for the sake of espionage. As a shinobi, this skill often came into use.

"_I'm not good enough."_

Itachi hardly knew how to respond to this. He had never really experienced that feeling of being able to defend himself against his own peers. He took in her small body, knowing she probably was not able to keep up with other girls because of her petite form. This girl had grown up like any typical, civilian child, not eating the same foods and going through the same exercises that shinobi children often did. Compared to the others entering the ninja academy, she had been unprepared.

"Then become good enough," Itachi finally replied. It may have sounded cold coming from his mouth, but it was not ill-meant.

He watched as the girl's bottom lip quivered slightly, her fine, pink eyebrows scrunching together. Something in her erupted, and much to his incredulity, she shot forward, reaching small arms around him as she smothered her tears into his shirt. Completely caught off guard, he gaped down at her, the sound of her stifled sobs the only thing he could hear and his arms at his sides.

This was such a peculiar occurrence for him, and he was uncertain of how to comfort her. Sasuke had been a particularly whiny baby, but once he grew out of that stage, his habit of crying had been quickly put to an end by their father, as it had been inappropriate for an Uchiha son to act so childishly. Now, this little girl had thrown herself into his care, trusting him to comfort her, even if he did not know how.

It really should have bothered him, but for reasons Itachi could not explain, he found this unusually refreshing. In all honesty, no one trusted a shinobi with his experience, when they were aware of his violent past. This was what it meant to be ANBU, and he had accepted this willingly, knowing he was pushing others away by becoming so powerful. He was certainly admired by many, but feared to an extent that villagers walked on the other side of the street from him. Itachi was considered uncontrollable, even if his temper was calm and composed, and he had never harmed anyone besides his own enemies.

Yet, this girl he did not know had cast herself at him, not suspecting him able to dare hurt her, not that he would. He did not think her capable of the insight to see that he was no monster, even if his lifestyle caused him to act like one, and assumed that she was merely ignorant. Whatever the case, she had confidence in him, unlike anyone else of his acquaintance.

Though hesitant, Itachi he placed his palm down on the crown of her head, the other resting on her back. Much to his surprise, the slight measure of showing his sympathy gave him the sudden feeling of weightlessness. Even with Sasuke, he had never been able to do this, and he wished he had. The Uchiha clan did not value human contact in any form, so he had very little experience with it. Even his mother had not cuddled with him as a toddler, or any time, as far as he could remember.

Bewildered, he stayed in that position until she had exhausted herself, and could not cry any longer. Sniffling, she looked up at him again with those vibrant, demure orbs, long, moistened, pink eyelashes framing them elegantly. He could feel her soft, warm breath through his shirt, where her salty tears had soaked through the material. It felt surreally silent, as if he could nearly hear the subtle beating of her heart.

Awkwardly, she looked down at the wet marks on his shirt, whispering, "They were making fun of my forehead." Answering his first question at last. "Everyone keeps telling me it's too big," she added for his benefit. Understanding this, he gives her an uncharacteristic smile.

"Don't be ashamed of who you are." He replied lithely, releasing his hold on her.

With that, he turned, stepping lightly from the training grounds.

* * *

Sakura would never have been able to believe that she would one day see that boy that had saved her from bullies again. She had not known even his name, and had no idea that he was the older brother to her teammate and crush. Sakura had suspected that he was an Uchiha, but had not put too much thought into his strange appearance after it had passed. She doubted that he even remembered her, from all those years before.

She had only been picked on once after that, and then she had met Yamanaka Ino, one of her classmates. Like the strange boy had told her, Ino had told her that it would not do to hide her brow, as if she were humiliated by it. The fashionista she was, Ino had gladly helped her find a hairstyle that fit her nicely. To this day, she still wore her hair in the same way, only instead of a red ribbon, Sakura proudly displayed her forehead, tying her hair back with her hitai-ate.

Ino had helped her finally feel confident in herself, and they had become the closest of friends because of it. She and Ino had been practically inseparable, until they discovered something crucial. They both were infatuated with Uchiha Sasuke. He was the strongest boy in their class, and was definitely more smooth than anyone else. Sakura knew that most people saw him as cold, and apathetic, but she knew he was more than the dispassionate boy that everyone assumed he was.

Sakura had known that their friendship would not last, if they were trying to catch the attention of the same boy. She had chosen Sasuke, knowing that he would chose her over Ino. She was the smart one, and he had to be interested in that.

Now, though, she was face to face with her past again.

And she suddenly felt like she had not gotten stronger at all. This was the second time he would see her in such a pathetic, beaten state. She could only hope that he did not remember their first meeting.

It was in the middle of _The Forest of Death, _during their second test to the chunin exams. Sakura hardly knew what was going on, besides a creep named Orochimaru wanted Sasuke's sharingan. He had attacked her poor, dearest Sasuke-kun with a curse mark, and since then, her teammate had been unconscious and in pain. The worst part of it all, she could not do a thing about it.

After Orochimaru had attacked their team, Naruto was out, injured, and Sasuke had been feverish. Then, the snake who had left their team in absolute shambles had sent a few hit-men to kill them. More pathetic then the fact she had been taken lightly by Orochimaru was that she could not even defeat the shinobi that he had sent them. Naruto or Sasuke would have been able to handle them easily, but she could not.

Now, because of her, Lee had stepped into a fight he was not originally involved in, and got himself hurt. She would have cried, but he had seen that from her before, and she did not want to ever stoop to that level again. She just was too pitiful. Sasuke had finally gotten to his feet though, and had been about to defend her, when his brother appeared, as if out of thin air.

Sasuke had never introduced his brother to her and Naruto, and Sakura had never really been interested in knowing Itachi. All she knew was that Sasuke very nearly worshiped him, and that he was an ANBU captain. Besides that, she knew virtually nothing about Sasuke's illustrious, older brother. It was only know that it registered in her mind that she knew a little more about Uchiha Itachi than originally perceived.

He had been the one to tell her to become stronger, all those years before. She hated that she had not done a very good job of this, and had made herself more into a nuisance than anything else. When he had told her to not be ashamed of herself, she recognized what he had really meant. _Don't be like them._

Sadly, she comprehended, Sakura had become just as superficial as the girls who had teased her for her appearance as a child. Once realizing she was in love with Sasuke, she had only cared for her looks, rather than doing what she had wanted to since entering the ninja academy. She was supposed to do something that mattered, and protect her special people. So far, she had not done that at all.

The man glanced back at her, or so she thought, until Sakura realized he was looking at Sasuke, not her. It was to be expected, that he would want to look after his younger brother, especially after he had been injured. Sasuke did not seem to like that his brother was there, hogging his glory, but Itachi would not be budged. In speeds that she could not read, he had knocked out each of Orochimaru's thugs, then tied them up.

Silently, he had summoned his brother towards him. Sakura watched as Sasuke stalked towards his older brother, fuming. Just moments before, he had been releasing a chakra that she had never felt from him before, and she wondered for a moment if it had to do with the curse mark Orochimaru had given him. She was not given much time to think though, before both Team Ten and Team Gai appeared out of the brush.

Hyuga Neji collected their teammate, glancing at the two Uchiha, before frowning and stalking off. Tenten, who she only knew slightly, shrugged, before sending her a grin and following after her teammates. They were gone as quickly as they had come.

Ino had approached her, then offered, "I can at least even your hair out before we go." Sakura dared not refuse her.

Her long, beautiful hair was gone, crudely cut to a bob when she had fought with the oto-nin. Sasuke was known for liking girls with long hair, and now, it would take years for her to grow her lustrous, pink locks out again, but she was beginning to muse if this was for the best. She needed to concentrate less on her physical beauty, and more on her training as a kunoichi. This chunin exam had proven that to her.

She would not be that weak, useless girl anymore, who could do nothing but stare at her teammate's backs. She loved Sasuke dearly, and had the feeling that would not change in a long time, but she had her priorities out of order. It was foolish, all the things she had done to make him notice her, and she had given up so much.

As Ino stood behind her, Sakura could not help wishing that she had never grown fond of Sasuke, and pushed their friendship aside. "Hey, Ino-pig."

The girl behind her growled under her breath. "What, Forehead?"

Sakura just spoke out with it. "Is Sasuke really worth the friendship we used to have?"

There was a long silence as this mulled over. Usually, Ino would have answered immediately, but she was too stunned by her question to answer straight out. It was Sakura that had decided that, because they both liked the same boy, they had to be rivals. Ino had been surprised when Sakura had so quickly ended their friendship, and angry that she thought that she had no say in the matter. Furious, she had accepted Sakura's wishes, becoming a nightmare.

Really though, she knew now that he was only one boy. The chances of either one of them getting him were slim, knowing how antisocial and cold he was. It was foolish, Sakura could not help to think, that she had sacrificed what would have been a friendship to last a lifetime for a boy who would never feel the same way that she did. She still cared very deeply for her teammate, but it was time she put her attention into something else.

Ino gave a long, weighty sigh. "I'm not giving him up to anyone, even you."

This was far from being the answer Sakura had been looking for, but she accepted it. Ino may have not known Sasuke as much as she did, not being on a genin team with him, but she still held an affection for him that was hard to hold a candle to. Sakura knew that she and Ino were not the only ones to be infatuated with Sasuke; practically every girl in the village had a crush on him. It was pointless.

Ino finished with her hair, handing her a mirror. Sakura glanced at herself in the small compact, smiling softly. Her pink hair was now a bob, just barely reaching her chin, yet she could not help liking the way she looked. It was different to be sure, but seemed to fit her face much better. This would represent her decision to never become so superficial again. Her training as a kunoichi would now come first. Sakura resolved then to never let her hair grow out again.

Closing her eyes tiredly, she quietly thanked Ino, handing back the mirror. Her face was bruised and bloody, but she supposed that there was nothing she could really do about it for the time being. She glanced curiously at the two Uchiha brothers as the conversed, hoping her teammate was fine, after such a threatening fever and curse put onto him. A few moments later, they concluded their discussion, the younger brother stalking off in a huff, his hands shoved into his pockets.

Her heart could not help clenching as he walked towards her. He did not stop though, making his way past her then stopping at Naruto. Her shoulders slumped slightly, even if she had been expecting it.

* * *

Itachi had noticed the pink haired girl since his appearance. He could easily recognize her as the same girl he had once defended at thirteen years old. Itachi was simply surprised to learn that she was the Haruno Sakura on his younger brother's team. It should not have been so shocking, after all, the name fit her appearance scarily well.

He grimaced, remembering what he had told her five years previous. It appeared that she had been working on it, at least, but not nearly hard enough to survive the chunin exams. She was lucky to still be in one piece.

Slowly breathing out through his nose, he reached for the ointment in his back pouch. He advanced towards her, belatedly wondering if he should seriously apply it on her face again, as he had last time. It hardly felt appropriate to do it again, especially with the audience. He settled however, that it did not matter much. They were both shinobi, and it was normal to share supplies between colleagues.

She turned red with shame as he sat across from her, unable to look in his direction. In that instance, she had not changed much from the child he had helped years before. Unscrewing the cap to the tube of ointment, she knew better than to wait for him to force her to face him properly, like he had the time before.

He had removed a glove to spread the salve onto her face, and his skin was rough and calloused from his life as a shinobi. He was gentle though, and startlingly silent. The atmosphere he created managed to smother her under its pressure. She felt that she should say something, to acknowledge that she remembered him from that late afternoon years before, but did not want to make it more uncomfortable than it already was.

As seconds ticked past, however, she could not bear it any longer. She just had to tell him that she remembered what he had done for her. Somehow, though, she could not find the right words. At last, she relented, and said, "You must think I'm a fool."

The fact she had the courage to speak to him startled Itachi, not that he minded. By now, as a graduate of the ninja academy, she must have known his name, and his reputation. Yet, she still seemed to hold no fear for him. Either she did not care that he was skilled beyond his years, or was oblivious. He could see in her eyes, though, that she was much too intelligent to be ignorant of who he was. She knew he had been a member of the ANBU Black Operatives since he was her age, or even younger.

He sort of liked that she wanted to speak to him, strangely enough. "I do not know you well enough to make that sort of assumption on your character." He replied eloquently, before adding, "Though, you do seem fond of getting yourself into trouble. I would have hoped last time would be the last seeing you in such a state."

She smiled weakly, sighing. "I'm not very cut out for this, am I?"

Itachi frowned. That was not what he had implied, but she did seem sort of weak, as far as her fighting skills went. This girl, Haruno Sakura, had a certain brightness to her though, that made it obvious she could become a formidable kunoichi, if she truly put her heart to it. He had seen people grow through this process, and knew that she was simply a late bloomer. One day, she would be looked upon as one of the most powerful shinobi of her generation, he could tell.

"No, I would not say that." He answered calmly. She watched as he placed his tube of cream, which if she remembered correctly, worked rather well, back into his back pouch.

"However, I do believe that you have yet to learn to accept." Itachi murmured, lifting strands of shortened, pink hair to her eye level. With that he stood, giving Sasuke a glance, as if to say he needed to look after his team members better. Then, he was gone, leaving a very confused crowd of genin in his wake.

Not that Sakura was ever going to dare explain how she knew the Uchiha heir. Really though, she hardly did know him. Whatever the case, Sasuke did not look pleased.

* * *

A/N: I got this out much faster than I anticipated. Consider this chapter a sort of prologue, if you will. The rest of this fic will be set five years in the future, when Sakura is eighteen.

If you were wondering what the lyrics were from in the beginning of the chapter, they were by _Atreyu_, in there song _Gallows_.


	2. The Art of Drowning

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

From the ties that hold you down, from the grips of loneliness,

There's something missing in my life that I'm running after.

* * *

A whisper of wind blew through the trees, the mid-afternoon air crisp and refreshing after a nearly fifty mile run from fire country's border. The three-man team of jonin each eased with relief at seeing the great wall that protected their home village, after being gone on such a lengthly mission to Kiri. One particularly pleased, blond haired shinobi dashed ahead of his teammates, determined to be home _first. _The two other jonin followed after him at a more relaxed pace, in no rush to be dragged to Ichiraku again.

Frustrated that his teammates were lagging behind almost cruelly, and impatient to fill his gut with quality ramen, Naruto yelled at Sakura and Sasuke, complaining that they were both such slowpokes. As usual, he was ignored, and they calmly walked through Konoha's entrance.

It was early fall, and the trees were just starting to turn a beautiful golden color. Even if Sakura was a spring baby, this had to be her favorite time of year. It represented transformation, the way the trees turned from their dark greens to vivid yellows, oranges and reds, as if by magic. She liked to think _she _had transformed too, in the past five years, since the first chunin exams she had taken. Everyone else seemed to believe she had, considering how she had grown. Sakura had, surprisingly, been the first of Team Seven to become a chunin, much to the horror of both male shinobi she called her teammates. They had followed quickly after though, moving up in the next exam.

"Oh great, it's his royal bitchiness," Sakura heard Sasuke grumble bitterly under his breath. She did not have to look up to know who he was talking about. While Team Seven was arriving in Konoha, a team much more infamous than even them appeared to be departing; the notorious ANBU Team One. Its members consisted of Shiranui Genma, Uchiha Shisui, and its captain none other than Sasuke's older brother, Uchiha _Itachi. _He was the reason why that particular team was so well known.

Itachi had to be the biggest heartthrob in Konoha, having more fangirls than even Sasuke, which was quite the feat. He was also considered one of the most powerful shinobi of their generation, and had such a large sum over his head, that bounty hunters salivated at the mere mentioning of his name. He had been listed in every bingo book since he was thirteen, and the price for his head had more than doubled when he had defeated Orochimaru during the chunin exams where they had lost the Sandaime.

On a personal level, Sakura had been saved by him twice, and though she was _very _far from liking him, she could not help respecting Itachi. He was a complete bastard, just like his brother, and probably did not remember her at all, since it was so rare when they interacted, considering how many missions he was given. If she was ever to see him, it was in the occasional time he got himself landed in the hospital, having worked himself past the point of exhaustion.

Sakura automatically elbowed Sasuke's side for his rude comment. "He'll kick your ass if he hears you, stupid." She replied. She did not know why the two brothers were always at odds, but it was more due to sibling rivalry than anything else. Sakura could tell that Itachi genuinely cared for his younger brother, and that Sasuke secretly wished he could be more like him. They just did a poor job of showing it.

Sasuke snorted. "Like hell he would. He's too much of a momma's boy. She would kill him if her dearest baby got hurt." He retorted haughtily. Sakura knew, unfortunately, how true this boastful statement was. Even when Sasuke deserved it, Itachi would never physically abuse him enough to leave evidence of his actions. Whether he truly feared his mother's repercussions or not, Sakura was not yet sure.

For someone as legendary as him, it was somewhat sad that his only weakness was his freaking mother. Well, his only _known _weakness. If there _was _someone else, which she found herself doubting, even if he was the most sought-after male in the village, Sakura was unsure if she should pity the woman, for having such a sadistic lover, or admire her, for being able to handle said sadistic lover. Unless he was gay; another strong possibility in her mind.

Shisui tapped on Itachi's shoulder, and Sakura frowned as she and Sasuke approached the check-in point. "It looks like we have some cute, little jonin coming back home, after having just left." He snickered, not even trying to keep his voice down. Itachi turned, and met Sasuke's glare with one of his own. Admittedly, his was much more fearsome than that of her teammate.

Then, he smirked. "So it would seem." Itachi replied airily, shooting her a small look, before slowly signing his name in perfect penmanship. Sakura stared at his signature for a moment, unable to keep herself from thinking that he had better handwriting than most _girls. _She had nothing against a man having legible handwriting, but that was a bit excessive.

Giving a cheerful front, she took the pen from him when he offered it, and took the clipboard from Kotetsu. Naruto's name was already scribbled on the line above, and she sent Itachi a dubious look, before writing hers. She was not nearly as bad as Naruto or Sasuke, but she definitely had a doctor's hand. He lifted an eyebrow at her look, but said nothing.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, we should go out for some drinks when I get back." Genma teased, shifting the senbon in his mouth from one side to the other. Sakura, however, did not take his comment as so amusing as he did. He was an abominable flirt, and though she did not particularly mind his company, he always slipped so many unwanted sexual innuendos into conversation that it drove her mad.

"Not interested, Genma. I still haven't forgotten about the last time I went to a bar with you." She retorted, crossing her arms. Both of her teammates had tensed at this, sending dangerous glowers at the annoying flirt. They, of course, had not forgotten that god awful event either, as they had been spying on their poor, susceptible, kunoichi teammate, who was likely to be taken advantage of.

What they had not wanted to see was for Genma to _accidentally, _as he had put it, spill his sake down her shirt. Her white shirt. Sakura had blown a casket, and even if it had been six months since then, she still had not let it go. Naruto and Sasuke had not forgiven the devious male either. Protective though they may have been, they had not been good enough to save their poor Sakura from the perverted Genma.

"Aw, you're so mean, Sakura. I apologized a million times, and I already told you it was an accident. Do you really believe a good man like _me _would ever do that to such an innocent, little girl?" He asked faultlessly. Sakura gritted her teeth at the memory of all his persistent apologies. Of course, the only reason he had not given up was because he was afraid of her fury, and what Tsunade would do if she found out what he had done to his favorite student.

"Yes, I do." She glared.

"Yeah! No guy pours their sake down a girl's shirt on purpose!" Naruto added, accusing him with a point of his finger. Genma nearly swallowed his senbon, and Sakura turned on her two teammates, who had already started to instinctively back away. If Anyone else was at all surprised, they did not show it. Cracking her knuckles, Sakura tugged on her black, leather gloves, one of her most imposing threats. As often as she did this, it still managed to scare her teammates half to death.

After training with the Godaime Hokage, she became one of the few kunoichi that few dared mess with, even those she was close with. They all knew from experience that much like her mentor, she could become a living nightmare when screwed with. Tsunade had rubbed off on her a little too much, and even if she had grown into a beautiful woman, she had a short history of romantic encounters.

Having protective teammates did not help either, since they had a strange habit of stalking her whenever someone chalked up the courage to ask her out, eventually scaring away her dates. She did not understand why they were so determined to keep men away from her, since she was a grown adult, and could take care of herself, but after dealing with it for so long, she supposed she had gotten used to it. It showed that they cared, at least.

That did not mean she really appreciated it, however. "You two were watching me on my date again?" She asked darkly, approaching them with a graceful, yet somehow intimidating stalk. Shisui started belting out his loud, warm laughter at the pitiful expressions on either of Sasuke and Naruto's faces. Itachi would have found it amusing as well, if he was not so disturbed. He did not care what his teammate did to women, but he would much rather not hear about it.

"Well, you see, Sakura-chan, we _knew_ Genma was going to take advantage of you, so we wanted to make sure you made it home okay." Naruto gulped, holding his hands up in clear surrender. She did not stop her advancement, however, gaining speed with new irritation. Giving a deathly glare to them both, her gaze turned to the Uchiha who was walking backwards, as if demanding him to explain himself.

"Hn."

This could have possibly been the worst thing for him to say. He realized this the moment she turned to the ANBU team standing behind her and bowed. "I apologize for my rudeness," She innocently smiled. "I have two idiots to beat to a bloody pulp." The grin on her face turned absolutely conniving, wide and wild like a cheshire cat. The three ANBU did not even want to know what she was going to do to them, but it was safe to assume they would not be able to return home without a stop at the hospital first, thanks to an especially miffed kunoichi.

Sakura did not wait for ANBU Team One to give her a response. She turned violently, her pink hair lashing around, and striking her pale face as the locks caught up with her quick motions. Both teammates turned a grayish pallid, deciding it was best to go. They both disappeared at blinding speeds.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sakura shrieked after them, breaking into a sprint to follow after. There would be hell to pay, for their damned, jealous actions.

* * *

It was nice to get back into the rut of things, after being from home for so long. Whenever Sakura returned from a mission, she made it a habit to visit her parents immediately. They still did not approve of her status as a jonin kunoichi, and worried near constantly for their only child, or only child for the time being.

Why her parents had waited for so long, Sakura had no idea, but after eighteen years since she was born, her mother had decided to have another child. She had grown up alone, which tended to be lonely for a young child, but she was glad to have a sibling, even if it was too late for her to have a playmate. Her mother was especially pleased with her pregnancy. She had been her age when Sakura was born, and though she was getting older for childbirth, Sakura was constantly keeping taps on her mother, to be sure the fetus was healthy.

Both her mother and father were grateful that she managed to visit home often, considering her hectic schedule. She had long, twelve-hour shifts in the hospital whenever she was home, and often times, went on missions with her genin teammates. She was a busy bee, never taking a moment to relax, or even breath. The only time she allowed herself to let go was when she made it to her small apartment, and stole what hours of sleep she could.

Sakura knew her parents were concerned for her, since she seemed to have such a small social life, but they did not understand. They were not shinobi, and could never possibly comprehend how different that sort of lifestyle was, compared to that of a civilian. She did not blame them, but it got on her nerves whenever her mother mentioned she had been married to her father at seventeen, and had her first child at eighteen.

This is what they had expected of her, naturally. Her parents had wanted her to eventually retire from her position as a kunoichi, to settle down and become a mother, preferably to many, civilian children. She was already aware that they had, at some point, been on the lookout for possible spouses, ones that owned quaint, little shops and knew nothing of the shinobi world.

Sakura loved her life as a kunoichi, and was not going to give it up for anyone, even if he was the most wonderful, charming man she ever met. If she ever did find a mate, and chose to produce offspring, it would not be with someone ignorant of her lifestyle. It would have to be another shinobi, and even if she thought little of marriage and having children of her own, it was saddening to think no male in her age group had any interest in continuing their line.

This was fine, because she did not need, nor want, the distraction that having a lover often provided. One day, when she was no longer needed by her Hokage, and deemed too old to be of use, she would consider adopting a child, or finding an appropriate male, as dissatisfying as this plan was to her parents.

Sighing, Sakura stepped into her tiny flat, smiling despite herself. When she went on long missions, she always came home to see a layer of dust settled over her possessions, and she could not help cleaning everything in sight. She was a neat person, compared to the rest of the members of Team Seven, which was why they spent so much time in her apartment, avoiding their own cluttered spaces.

She was unperturbed by this. As long as they did not make any sort of mess in her quarters, she enjoyed their company. Though she was an extremely occupied with her time, she felt lonely returning home to a dark, empty apartment. Her parents wished she still lived at home, not approving of a young, unmarried woman living on her own, knowing very well what sort of trouble she could get herself into. Sadly, they were old fashioned, when it came to relationships.

Sakura supposed it was a good thing they did not realize that most girls even two years younger than her had already lost their virginity, in her line of work.

She decided she would break out the cleaning supplies later, when she was not so completely exhausted. Chasing after Naruto and Sasuke, then beating them nearly to death, only to heal the idiots afterwards, was rather draining. She kicked off her knee-high boots, subconsciously letting out a sigh of alleviation when her bare foot flattened on hard wood. She left a small trail of clothing and supplies she had needed for the mission behind her as she made her way to the bedroom. Moving as if on autopilot, she tugged on a pair of sweat pants and a large shirt she had stolen from Naruto at some point.

She collapsed onto her bed, not caring that she desperately needed a shower, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Itachi had given Genma a dubious look for his treatment of Sakura, which she clearly had yet to forget, after witnessing how she had treated him. He did not care much for her, but at the same time, found it unsettling that someone ten years her senior had been trying to get into her pants. He had no doubt this feeling had more to do his upbringing than anything, and less because of those strange, rare meetings he had with the kunoichi.

She kept an eye on his younger brother, and so far appeared to be doing an acceptable job of it, since Sasuke was still alive and well. Years back, when Orochimaru had so foolishly attacked Konoha, killing the Sandaime Hokage and plummeting the village into chaos, he had remembered vaguely running into her. Sakura had been weak then, but now she had flourished as a shinobi. Though she was no where near his level, which was unsurprising, since so little of Konoha's population were quite at his par, she appeared to have heeded his words.

Another plus, she had given up that childish infatuation on his little brother, more concerned with her training than anything else. When Tsunade had returned to Konoha to become Godaime Hokage, he had not expected the young girl to become her apprentice. Somehow, when he heard that she was being taught medical-jutsu, it had felt fitting.

In the two times they had met at that point, she had been at the defensive, and even then, she had hardly been able to stand up for herself. That she would become a medic-nin seemed very suitable for her. He hardly knew her, but he could tell she had not been much of a fighter. Now, however, she had become someone fearsome with her level of taijutsu, at the same standing as Tsunade. He had heard firsthand from Sasuke that she could be terrifying when she wanted to be, even if she was no taller than five foot three and had bubblegum pink hair.

He had yet to see very much of her violent side, but since Tsunade had dumped the responsibility of head medic at Konoha's hospital on her protégé's shoulders, Itachi had seen much more of her. Since she practically ran the hospital on her own, regardless of the fact she was only eighteen years old, she had high demand as a medic. The Uchiha clan considered her to be specifically their medic. As the most powerful clan in Konoha, they deemed themselves worthy of the best healer available.

Itachi had yet to have her on his team for a mission, though he knew she had accompanied ANBU teams as a medic in the past. Inuzuka Hana had, in passing, commented that for such a small girl, she sure as hell could pack a punch. Apparently, she had been requested for her medical skills on a particularly messy mission to Kusa, where they were _still _trying to patch things up, even if it had been nearly twenty years since the Third Ninja War.

Wherever he went, Itachi kept hearing everyone sing her praises, and a strange way, he felt proud. As if she had progressed so nicely because of his influence. He was well aware that this was probably not the case, but he preferred to think that it was possible for him to do more than kill. As a shinobi of his stature, he often felt like all he was useful for anymore was being an assassin, a hit man for Konoha, and he did not enjoy entertaining this thought.

Perhaps a decade spent leading his teams like wraiths in the dead of night had begun to effect him. He never had taken pleasure in being a killer, even if that was what he had been bred for. Itachi had been born to bring glory to his clan, even if this macabre glorification was nothing that he wanted to be involved with. His clan wanted to be feared and respected, while he simply wished for some peace.

And he was leaving again, off to kill more. It was growing old very fast.

* * *

It had been a calm week since returning from her mission in Kiri, most of which Sakura had spent in the hospital. She was happy to return to her rounds every afternoon, spending the mornings with Team Seven. For the past few days, she had woken at a reasonable time, trained with Naruto and Sasuke, gone out to lunch with them, before her twelve hour shift at the hospital. Late at night, she would return home, collapse on her bed, and fall into a deep, steady sleep.

Today was no different. She had met Sasuke in the training fields, Naruto arriving within five minutes of her. They had sparred for the next five hours, contentedly lazing for the next hour, and eating the bento lunches Uchiha Mikoto had kindly prepared for them. There they had parted, Naruto to bug Tsunade to be given a mission, and Sasuke had duties to complete for his clan. Sakura headed towards the hospital, taking a shower in the women's locker room, before picking up her files from Kimi, the medic running the shift.

Unfortunately, a team of chunin had returned home in critical condition, even if the mission they had been assigned had not required any clashes with enemy nin. She had pushed through three grueling surgeries on the team, staying two hours after her shift usually ended, just to be sure they were stable. She did not know the complete story, but apparently, the poor team had run into a group of nuke-nin who were above their standing, probably somewhere closer to jonin level, and she was sure they were lucky to get away alive.

By the time she managed to return home, it was nearing three in the morning, and she was going to have to be up in few hours. Perhaps she would play hooky, and not meet up with the rest of Team Seven for their ritualistic training session. Then she remembered that apparently, Kakashi-sensei was going to join them for once, a rare occurrence since they had graduated from his teachings at least three years previous.

They would kill her if she did not show up. Almost wanting to cry at the thought of how little she was going to be able to sleep, she threw herself onto her bed, clothes strewn over the floor, and a large T-shirt the only thing on her. She did not bother with crawling under the blankets, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Returning home always gave him relief. It was good to step into the village, and feel that safety surround him. Of course, a shinobi was never truly safe, but Konoha gave the semblance of it, at least. Those people he considered precious to him all resided in the flourishing village, and even if he was a killer, it was for their sakes. He was going to have to live with it, if it meant they would be protected.

In cases such as these, when he arrived at some time between four in the morning and five, he would usually check in at Hokage tower, since Kotetsu and Izumo did not report to the check-in point until six sharp. Most of them time, there would be a chunin on guard, and he and his team would have to give their mission outline later in the day, when the Hokage was awake. They would sign in with the chunin, before returning to their respective homes for a few hours of much needed sleep.

However, this time around, the chunin on duty had directed ANBU Team One to the floor above them, where Tsunade's office was. While slightly surprised that the Godaime was awake, when she liked to sleep in until the crack of noon, Itachi did not question it, and led his team above, entering her office with small _poofs, _having used a teleportation jutsu.

"Hokage-sama," Itachi bowed respectfully. She waved her hand tiredly, as if to order them at ease. The ANBU Black Operatives silently followed her demand, each removing their masks, before standing in a more relaxed state. Itachi's red sharingan seemed glow in the poorly lit office, until an inky black circulated his irises. He blinked at the sensation he had gotten used to since awakening his sharingan at age eight.

She sighed, taking a long drink from the tea she had at her desk. It was unusual to see her drinking anything but the nigori sake she much preferred, but Itachi supposed that even someone as powerful as her needed some form of caffeine to be awake at such an early hour. "Report," she commanded briskly, straightening her green coat.

Itachi elaborated on the eventless mission; it was a biannual surveillance Konoha made of Kusagure, and little had changed in the past six months. As last time, the village still had a nearly primitive medical system, which had made Tsunade smirk, and it was rather quiet. The security was lacking as well, and the ANBU team had found it pathetically easy to slip into the small shinobi village.

Tsunade was pleased by what she heard, but knew something still had to be done about the poor relations Konoha had with their village. In the five years since being inaugurated, Tsunade had dealt with what issues they had with Otogakure, and even smoothed over things with Kumogakure, for the most part. Kusa had been put onto the back burner until just recently.

While there was little Konoha could to get on better terms with the small village, she surmised that they could share some of their medical knowledge. She needed Shizune at home, and for obvious reasons, she could not go herself, but her other student could afford to leave. Sakura would have to do just fine.

"Genma, Shisui, you are dismissed." Tsunade finally said, hands laced together, and her elbows propped up on her desk. Itachi rolled his eyes subtly as his cousin gave him a sympathetic pat on the back, and let out a quiet cackle. There was not much more to be said about the routine infiltration task she had sent her best team on, so the three ANBU had made the correct assumption in thinking the captain was to be given another expedition, after having just returned.

Itachi's face remained stonily blank, prepared to take whatever was thrown at him. She grinned when she was alone with the ANBU captain. "It's high time we get on better terms with Kusa, don't you think?" She asked rhetorically.

Itachi sighed, slipping his hawk mask down over his face, and being given his orders to fetch a certain Nara Shikamaru and Haruno Sakura. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, skimming the area until reaching the Nara household, which was much closer to the Hokage tower than Sakura's apartment. He could already sense that the inhabitants of the home were already up, assumedly sitting down to an early breakfast.

Politely, he knocked on the door, only having to wait a few moments before a woman with dark hair answered. She frowned, giving him a look over, before calling back at her son, already knowing who it was he wanted. Itachi could not help the small smirk that teased his lips from behind his mask. As much as everyone poked at the Nara clan for there terminal case of laziness, they all had a sort of intelligence that was not to be reckoned with.

"Hokage-sama requires your presence in her office." He announced smoothly. Shikamaru looked slightly disgruntled by this, but he nodded his head, returning into his home to dress more properly. When Itachi sensed the jonin tactician disappear from inside, he moved again, his chakra seeking Sakura's presence.

He was not absolutely sure of where her apartment building was, since he had never had the opportunity to go there. It took a few minutes for him to pick up her signature, and he was slightly taken aback to find her lodgings in a vastly civilian populated area of the village. It was far from the epicenter of Konoha, and he could only guess she lived there because civilian parents.

With feline-like grace, he stooped down to the second floor from the roof, where her the bedroom window to her small flat was located. He peered into the room, finding her all but comatose, looking as if she had crumbled down completely on top of a mess of sheets and comforters. Seeing her in such a state of unconsciousness reminded him of his own fatigue, and his warm bed seemed to silently call to him in that moment.

Distracted only momentarily by the notion of getting sleep, he rapped on the glass pane with his knuckles. He almost felt guilty when he saw the girl stir. She must have been truly exhausted, if she had not sensed his presence sooner, and woken by it.

Sakura's eyes shot open at the sound of beating on her window, an infuriated growl emitting through clenched teeth. Groggily, she stared at her digital clock, sitting on her bedside table innocently. Groaning with frustration, she realized she had not been asleep yet for two hours before some bastard had showed up to knock on her window. Viridian eyes gleaming with anger, she turned her head to see a silhouette of a tall, lean male outside.

She grit her teeth, her head pounding, and mouth feeling dry. She threw open the window to greet her uninvited visitor with a glare. "This better be fucking good," she seethed, "I just performed three major surgeries in the past few hours, and am in no mood to deal with whatever bullshit you have for me, _Uchiha_." Sakura spat, as if it were an insult. Though impressed with her observational skills, her being able to tell what clan he was from without seeing his face, he was still astonished by her language.

She had much more backbone than he had expected, being so rude to someone who was clearly ranked higher than she was, and could not help the soft snort he gave in response. "You are needed by the Hokage in her office." He replied flatly, angering her further.

Her eyes thinned. Tsunade had to know that she had a late shift, and that she needed time to regenerate her chakra supplies. "Well, that's just great." She grumbled. "Go away," she added snidely, going back to her room. He blinked at her spiteful order, his lips turning downward at her instruction. Itachi stayed though, knowing she was likely to only crawl back into bed, if given the chance.

She did not seem pleased by this, and much like the time she had fiercely turned on Naruto and his ototo when learning they took to spying on her, her pink locks whipped around with her, trying to keep up. Burning, dangerous, emerald orbs clashed with endless ebony. "Are you leaving, or not?" She snapped, crossing her arms defiantly. Silently, he shook his head.

"I cannot be certain you will not return to your bed, if I leave."

The smile she gave him was understanding. "Oh, I understand." She commented lightly. "I guess you want me to go like this, then?" She inquired sarcastically, indicating her state of undress. Itachi had hardly noticed what she was wearing, and now that it registered that she was only in a shabby, white shirt, he supposed it would be inappropriate for her to leave the vicinity of her home the way she was currently dressed.

He shrugged. "If you are not at the tower by oh-five-hundred hours, I will return."

The Uchiha then left, giving Sakura the privacy to change. Only given ten minutes to make herself presentable, Sakura dashed about the tiny apartment, throwing on her red vest and medical skirt with black, spandex shorts beneath, running a brush through unruly hair, and tying the Hitai-ate on the crown of her head. She hardly had time to look at her reflexion in the mirror before she grabbed a weapon's pouch, pulled on her boots, and departed, locking the door behind her.

Tsunade was going to get an earful for this one, giving her less than two hours to sleep, after her chakra had been drained so drastically. The entire village was still, her being the only one up at such an untimely hour. This allowed her to stomp down the street without being given concerned glances. To say she was pissed was an understatement.

The chunin guarding the first floor entrance to Hokage tower had been about to welcome her, undoubtedly, but she stormed past him with a snarl, likely frightening the poor boy. A scowl fixed determinedly on her pale, worn face, she hurled Tsunade's door open, stepping in with little concern for delicacy. What she wanted was sleep, and she was going to damn well let everyone know it, too. She was going to show how displeased she was by being there.

"Good morning to you, too, Sakura." Tsunade muttered in annoyance, watching as her student crossed her arms, standing between the Uchiha and Shikamaru.

Sakura glanced at Nara Shikamaru for a moment, making note that he looked just as groggy and dazed as she was. He had probably thought Tsunade was waking him, or rather, getting him out of the house early, to do pointless paperwork she usually duped him into doing. Sakura had already heard of the horror stories relating to how early the Nara family woke each morning, and though Shikamaru was used to being up at this time, he still appeared to be half-asleep.

"Now that we're all here, I can tell you about your new mission to kusa," Tsunade smirked, before adding, "Oh, and you're not going to need that mask this time around, Uchiha. This is not an ANBU mission."

Instantly reminded of her rude awakening not twenty minutes earlier, Sakura turned to the unsuspecting male, glowering at him as he removed the mask that signified his position as a captain. Just as she told herself she was going to rip the bastard a new one, she was stunned to realize it was none other than Uchiha Itachi she had been yelling at earlier for waking her. She gulped, wishing she could sink ino the floor.

Not. Cool.

* * *

A/N: Yay, another chapter! I'm on spring break right now, so I'll (maybe) be able to spend more time writing. It depends. But yeah, I skipped ahead. Hopefully not in a way that was at all cheesy. :D

Reviews feed starving artists. I'm hungry.


	3. Without Oxygen

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto. Dammit!

* * *

That's what it feels like, when you're stitched into the skin.

I feel stuck, and no one thinks something's missing.

* * *

Sakura could not help feeling very subconscious about herself as she stood next to the sadistic older brother of her teammate and friend. If she had realized that he was going to be her captain, let alone teammate on her new mission, she definitely would not have sassed at him so much, not that she could tell him that now. He did not appear angered, at least, but with that blank face of his, it was impossible to know what he was thinking.

As she tried to listen to what Tsunade was saying, all she could concentrate on was how he was going to get back at her somehow during the mission ahead. She would not put it past him to resort to petty revenge, if he was anything like how Sasuke had described him. She admired his power, but he was a complete bastard, and the last thing she wanted was to spend the next two weeks, or however long it took to assist Kusa in the search for more proper medical jutsu, with _him._

Itachi was well aware that Sakura kept glancing at him, a deeply set, worrisome expression fixed on her face. He wanted so badly to smirk. The girl was probably regretting her attitude with him earlier, and wondered how he intended to retaliate. He knew just the way to get back-doing absolutely nothing. The kunoichi would be on edge the entire span of the mission, which would be useful, and by the time it came for them to return, she would be so wary of him, she would jump at every move he made.

This would prove to be amusing, to say the least. If nothing else, fear always kept subordinates in line, even if this was not the sort of tactics he preferred to use. Kakashi had let his genin team get away with too much, and he knew from watching his own brother that this led them to grow up with no regard for orders. The kunoichi may have been trained by Tsunade, but even the Hokage had her soft spots.

It was pitiful that he had to discipline a kunoichi who was old enough to legally drink, but already, he could tell it would be necessary. She had spent her entire career following Naruto and his ototo around, and that had its negative effects, to be sure; and while training with Tsunade had certainly given her skills not to be questioned, her teacher had a certain disregard for rules. For a fact, Tsunade was a worse influence, character wise, for the young, impressionable girl.

She was going to learn, very quickly, that he did not accept failure from his squad, and would not allow any nonsense from anyone, least of all from a kunoichi who was so below him.

Sakura glimpsed over at the tall Uchiha again, startled to find, in her quick peek an entertained gleam in his sable eyes. He thought this was _funny. _Oh, hell no. She would understand if he was irritated by her actions, but Sakura could not handle being laughed at silently. She had no doubt he was mocking her earlier concern. Her own eyes narrowed at the very thought.

_He, _of all people, should have known how well she took ridicule, considering the fact the first time they met, a bunch of his own clan members had been teasing her, and he had been her unexpected savior. The man had also witnessed her violent temper first hand, on more than one occasion, when his idiotic little brother and his blond friend took to pestering her. While she loved both boys to bits, unable to help it, she held no such consideration for him. She would often hold back on her teammates, but if he _dared _make a fool of her, she would beat him down.

Sakura did not care _who _he thought he was. All Uchiha had that awful tendency to think themselves above all else, and while he subtly humored himself next to her, she knew he was thinking just that. That she was below him, and he was so much better than her. Sasuke still had the habit of thinking these things as well, even if she and Naruto had done their best to pound it out of him.

To think she was going to have to go through the same thing again, and with Sasuke's arrogant, self-righteous, insufferably proud brother. _His Royal Bitchiness, _as she had come to know him as. He was likely to be far too gone, already too conceited to be saved, or even remotely pleasant to be around. Well, he would learn very quickly, if he already did not know from his brother, that she would not take his bullshit. She had a short fuse, and a temper that matched her master's.

Oh, yes, he would learn, if it was the last thing she did.

* * *

When Tsunade dismissed the three of them, telling the group to be prepared to leave at eighteen-hundred hours, Sakura immediately latched her arm around Shikamaru's casually. He frowned, sending her an annoyed, but understanding look. He had probably observed her and Itachi as well, and knew _something _was up. Poor Shikamaru was already well used to Ino's antics, and though he had little experience with hers, he probably knew what to expect.

"Shika, since we're going to be teammates, why don't we go catch some breakfast? I know a good teahouse, where I've had the best mitarashi dango ever." She suggested slyly, a devious smile on her face. Yes, Sakura knew of Itachi's weakness for all things sweet, thanks to Sasuke. Not that she could stop him from joining her and Shikamaru if he truly wanted to go, but she was going to make sure he was uninvited.

Shikamaru sighed. "I didn't finish my breakfast earlier." He replied, eyebrows cinched together in suspicion. "troublesome women," he continued in a mutter under his breath. It was the closest thing she was going to get to an acceptance from the lazy tactician, and Sakura was fine with that. Offhandedly, she turned with an uninterested look at her captain.

She huffed. "I'm sure an ANBU captain has better things to do than snack on sweets with two jonin." Sakura commented calmly as the three of them made their way out of the building. By then, it was nearing seven in the morning, and the sun was already up. She had not gotten anything to eat since ramen with Naruto and Sasuke the day previous, since she had been so preoccupied in the operating room.

A slender, raven eyebrow smoothly lifted onto his forehead. Itachi was fully aware of what she was attempting to do, and he had also heard what Shikamaru had grumbled to himself. The lazy jonin was right, women _were_ troublesome, this pink haired kunoichi in particular. It had been over twenty-four hours since he had last eaten, or perhaps even longer, and it was not as if he really would have gone with her and Shikamaru to the teashop, but it was slightly insulting, either way.

It was clear she knew he had a certain partiality for sweets, no thanks to his younger brother, no doubt. Sasuke was the only one, besides Shisui, that Itachi had ever dared eat anything that was not strictly nutritional around, and therefor, the only ones that knew of his liking. While Itachi had no idea why Sasuke would find it so interesting that he had a preference for sweet things, he must have told his little team of jonin. Well, he was going to have to get back at his foolish, little brother for that one, at least.

"I have not yet returned home since getting back in Konoha." Was the Uchiha's composed response. He could tell that Sakura was trying not to look pleased by this. "And you have made it obvious, Haruno-san, that you would much rather enjoy Nara's company than my own." He added impassively. As annoyed as he was by her childish attempts to get under his skin, he could not help finding the way she pursed her lips together in indignation amusing.

She may have been a full grown woman, but she still acted like a child. If she thought she could get on his nerves so easily, she was wrong. He would much rather get a few hours of sleep, and enjoy his mother's home cooking, rather than an unwholesome breakfast of dango (even if mitarashi happened to be his favorite) with two, moody underlings.

With that said, he raised two fingers, and executed a simple transportation jutsu, leaving two jonin behind him. Sakura sagged with relief when the ANBU captain disappeared, letting out a heavy, heartfelt sigh. As Shikamaru had suspected, the silly kunoichi had been trying to rid herself of the Uchiha, and luckily, succeeded. Chances of that happening again were slim.

Though Uchiha Itachi was difficult to read, even for him, Shikamaru could tell that the shinobi had been beyond exhausted. He had observational skills honed enough to pick up the twitch of an eyelash from even the most reserved of shinobi, who had spent their entire life training to keep a blank face. More than once, he and the Uchiha had played a game of shogi, whom which he was evenly matched with.

So, Shikamaru was confident enough to make the assumption that Uchiha Itachi, who must have only gotten back in the village within the last two hours, had not slept within two or three days. He had no clue what Sakura had against him, and nor did he care what had happened between the Uchiha and pink-haired kunoichi. As long as things did not get awkward for him on the mission, he would not do anything about it, either.

Sakura growled, dragging the Nara along. "Can you believe that prick? Stupid Uchiha!" She complained, leading him into a highly populated area. Even this early in the morning, there were people stumbling about the market place, seeking the best produce the village could offer, before it was picked by someone else.

"Yes, he was completely out of hand." Shikamaru replied sarcastically. If anything, she had been the one out of control, treating their captain with so little respect, even if he was unparalleled with any other shinobi in the village. While Shikamaru may have had a mind to compete with the Uchiha, he still stood pale in comparison to his level of speed, and master of taijutsu, ninjutsu and genjutsu.

Sakura scoffed at the thought. "I know, right? This mission is going to be awful because of that freaking self-centered, egotistical, pigheaded bastard!" She cried in fury, pulling the poor male across the street into a small shop.

Shikamaru sighed. It was best to give up, in this case. Sakura was just too much like Ino, and even worse, the Hokage, to dare disobey. He was still hungry, after all, since he had been pulled away from his own meal by a certain Uchiha she was so enraged with. As troublesome as that was, he knew it was nothing personal; he had just been preforming his duties. Sakura obviously had taken being woken up early personal, not that he could blame her.

Ino was always complaining about her insane schedule, telling him about her crazy hours at the hospital, and all the time she spent training with Naruto and Sasuke. She probably had only been asleep for a few hours before the Uchiha had gotten her up, demanding she go to Tsunade.

Not that he felt all that bad for her now, since she was chewing his ear out determinedly. Between his mother, Ino, Tsunade, and Temari, whenever he was unjustly forced into visiting Suna on the Hokage's behalf, he had plenty of experience with pushy women. That did not mean he wanted more of it in his already swamped life. He could only ponder at what Itachi would do with the aggressive female, when she asserted herself on the mission ahead.

"What are we ever going to do?" He asked blandly, taking a seat across from her at one of the small tables. He sluggishly waved the waitress over with a finger. Dutifully, she came to take their orders. Unsurprisingly, Sakura ordered for them both, politely asking for a pot of sencha, a medium grade of green tea, to go with the two plates of mitarashi dango she ordered for them. At this point, Shikamaru did not have the energy to tell her he preferred Shiratama.

"Well, I'm not sure yet, but if he plans on acting like such an asshole on the mission, he's up for a rude awakening."

Shikamaru sighed again. He was starting to feel bad for the Uchiha.

* * *

"Tadaima, Okaa-san," Itachi murmured softly, finding his mother already in the kitchen, preparing a breakfast for his brother and father. She turned in surprise at his sudden appearance, worried as she took in his weary demeanor. As much as she was a stickler for her rules, one of her biggest being not to be in uniform at the table, she could not find the heart to send him upstairs to change.

"Okaerinasai, Itachi-chan." She replied, setting down another cup for him. In a rare lapse of self-control, he slowly exhaled, propping his chin on his palm, elbow on the table top. His mother could tell what this meant. Itachi had not gotten any sleep on the week-long mission he had just gotten back from, volunteering to take all the night watches, concerned for his teammates rather than himself.

She served grilled fish for four, then poured the miso soup. Already, the steamed rice was prepared in their bowls, along with the natto and pickles. Quickly setting the table around him, she finally sat beside her son, unable to keep the concern from her face. "You're going to kill yourself like this, Itachi-chan. You need to let yourself recuperate, if you're going to keep taking these missions."

He could not respond to this, knowing she was right. Instead, he said, "I will not be needing dinner tonight."

His mother breathed out, closing her eyes for a moment. She did not have to ask to know that this meant he had been given another mission, just after returning home. It was beginning to feel like she never saw her son, and in all honestly, she wanted him to settle down. His father had only been a year older than he was when Itachi was born, and his case was starting to look dire.

Admittedly, Fugaku's pushing was not doing him any good. "Your team is letting you take another mission so soon?" She finally asked, dubious. Shisui may have been an excellent shinobi, but it seemed unusual that he would accept his duties so easily. Genma, as well, preferred to spread out the time between missions more than Itachi did.

"This mission is not with Team One." He answered. "My teammates will be Haruno Sakura and Nara Shikamaru."

Strangely enough, this caused more grief for his mother. "Oh, dear, Sakura-chan," she whispered. "I swear, she's as bad as you are, Itachi-chan. That girl never gives herself a break, and now she's going to be on a mission with you."

He gave her a bewildered look.

"I know how you run things, Itachi-chan, don't give me that look. You're no different from how your father was, and if that girl is anything like how I was at her age, she will not yield to your authority without a good fight. Don't push her too hard, you hear me?"

Itachi frowned. Haruno Sakura was nothing like her mother. Uchiha Mikoto was sweet, gentle and kind, while the kunoichi in question was rough, violent and loud. She had her moments, where she possessed a certain calmness, but it was always with a patient, and the occasions were always wide and far apart. It was almost amusing to compare the two, very obviously different women. Yet, he was too respectful of his mother's wisdom to vocally disagree with her.

"I understand, Okaa-san." He surrendered. She smiled.

"Sakura-chan is a good girl, so look after her, will you? Just make sure she doesn't try to pull any all-nighters standing watch, like you do, okay?"

Itachi did not understand why his mother cared so much about the kunoichi, but decided not to question her. "Very well."

It was slightly annoying, that the girl was so close to his mother as well. He hardly had the time to focus on this, however, because his father, dressed in his usual robes, placidly made his way into the kitchen area, taking a seat at the head of the table. Mikoto gave her nonplussed son one, last smile, before moving to her place at the foot, across from her husband. Bleary-eyed and yawning, Sasuke also entered, taking his spot on the other side of the table from Itachi.

Silently muttering _Itadakimasu, _the head Uchiha family ate their meal, not so much as glancing at each other. While both Mikoto and Fugaku were perfectly contented with the peace, their two sons, Sasuke most of all, found no joy in it. It felt so impersonal, as if they were not a family at all, but both males knew better than to try changing it. Their father, more than any other clan head in Konoha, was strict when it came to tradition.

Do not speak, unless spoken to.

Itachi finished his breakfast before everyone else, even if he was usually last to polish off his spot at the table. He sent his mother a grateful look, before preparing to leave. His father, however, took notice of this, and stopped him, even if his son looked dead on his feet.

"Itachi, have you done anything about the problem I spoke to you about earlier?" He asked sedately, eyeing his eldest son from where he stood, ready to flee the room. Itachi frowned at the thought, not needing specifics to know of what his father spoke. Everyone at the table knew what Fugaku was asking, because he had been pestering Itachi about it for nearly a year, and still showed no sign of relenting.

He let out the air in his lungs, attempting to relax himself. "No, I have not." Though not shocked by this, Fugaku still appeared to be displeased by what he had been told.

"You do realize, Itachi, that I will not be able to make you head of this clan until you do." It was not a question, but rather a statement. Though his feathers were ruffled, Itachi gave his father a steady stare, not showing his own anger for his family's impatience.

"Yes, Chichi-ue." He allowed, bowing, before abruptly leaving.

Once Itachi had left the kitchen, there was nothing to stop him from loosening his shoulders and staggering to his room, and slipping into a deep, much needed sleep. He would think more on his father's demands later, if at all.

* * *

At approximately eight on the clock, Naruto officially freaked out. Sakura was _late. _He could not think of the last time that had happened. She was always at the training fields before he was, ever since they had become a team. Sasuke had been standing there as well, hands stuffed in his pockets, and though he did a poor job of showing it, Naruto knew he was concerned for their female teammate as well.

She had never once missed a training session, even when they were still in the academy. Something had to have happened, and the fact Sasuke had overheard his mother speaking about her to his older brother did not sit well with either male. Though Sasuke did not voice his thoughts, knowing his idiotic, best friend would actually put them into action without a second thought, he had considered waking his bitchy brother to find out where she was.

When Kakashi rolled in without her at nine, there was very obviously something wrong. She was over an hour late, and even _Kakashi _had made it before she had. Naruto had demanded they go look for her, in fear that she may have been hurt somehow. While both Sasuke and Kakashi found this to be highly unlikely, it was still strange that Sakura would miss a morning practice, and she would have at least warned them, if she was not going to be able to make it.

So, with Naruto on edge, and Sasuke hardly any better than him, they searched for their missing team member. Surprisingly, when they made their way to her apartment, out on the front stoop was a lounging Nara Shikamaru, who was busy staring up at the sky. When they had been about to open the door however, he turned to them.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." He mutters to Naruto, who had not even bothered with knocking before grabbing the door handle.

"What are you doing here, Nara?" Sasuke asks defensively, crossing his arms. Shikamaru fixed his gaze upon the tightly strung Uchiha, unperturbed by his callous demand for knowledge. While Shikamaru had nothing against the younger Uchiha brother, Sasuke had always disliked him, mostly because of his ability to think ahead farther than anyone else their age.

He shrugged, looking back up at the clouds. "Sakura asked me to hang here, in case you guys showed up. We have a mission later, and she wanted to get some sleep before hand." The three males seemed uncomfortable with how casually Shikamaru had mentioned her sleeping. More than that, however, Sasuke and Naruto were irked that Sakura was going on a mission with someone besides themselves.

"Who else is on the team?" Sasuke asked through grit teeth.

Shikamaru spared him another glance. "Your older brother, Itachi, is captain of our team. I'm sure that is reason enough to let her sleep." He muttered, then completely disregarding the other two members of Team Seven, and their old, genin sensei. Kakashi made light of the situation, shrugging his shoulders before letting the two boys know they would have their little reunion when Sakura returned from her mission.

Sasuke and Naruto were slightly disappointed with their old sensei, and that he was not concerned with Sakura being on a team with Itachi, but could not stop him from disappearing. Still slightly stunned by the bewildering news that their kunoichi teammate was going on a mission without them, and with Itachi, no less, they left the complex in a daze, allowing Shikamaru to peacefully enjoy the blue sky alone.

"Your brother is going to break her." Naruto finally said. "He's such a pissy bitch, that she will lose it, and destroy everything in sight."

Sasuke agreed, but could not help catching the hint in Naruto's tone that he was blaming him for his brother. "He is the biggest perfectionist in Konoha, that he will try to fix everything she does, and she'll want to beat him into a bloody pulp." Sasuke said back, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Then, he'll come home even more of a nightmare than usual."

Naruto felt slightly sympathetic for Sasuke, since it was him that had to live with _his royal bitchiness. _"Yeah, but they're both violent to an extreme, and I don't know about your brother, but Sakura has the worst temper, even compared to Tsunade. You don't think they'll become friends, or something weird like that, right?" He asked his sulking teammate doubtfully. He watched as Sasuke paused momentarily, becoming more uneasy.

At last, however, Sasuke shook his head, having thought the possibility over. "No way in hell. Sakura's already heard enough about him from me to hate his guts, and he's too antisocial, and generally anal to make friends with anyone, least of all someone with bright, flowery pink hair."

"Sure, but whenever we talk about him, she'll never say anything deliberately mean, you know? Sakura-chan always agrees, but she'll never insult him herself." Naruto argued.

Sasuke was beginning to get annoyed with the conversation, and frowned. "Would you shut up, already, Dobe? Sakura's not going to ever be friends with Itachi, and my brother has a pole up his ass so far that he doesn't ever look at anyone else but to find a flaw. There is no fucking way that she's going to make friends with his royal bitchiness, okay?"

Naruto growled. "Don't call me that, Teme!"

* * *

At some point durning the late afternoon, Sakura finally woke, feeling completely refreshed, and glad that she had managed to crawl back into bed. Rubbing her eyes, and stretching with satisfaction, she threw back the sheets, smiling to herself. She had almost forgotten what it was like to get proper rest. Her stomach rumbled hungrily, and she thought back to when she had last eaten, and with whom.

She then realized that poor Shikamaru was probably still out by her front door, after she asked him to make sure her annoying teammates did not come to wake her. Scrambling to the front door, she flung it open to find him there, hunched over against the building, and asleep. As bad as she felt for waking him, Sakura could not leave him there, so she gently shook him, waiting for him to stir.

Ino had once told her that Shikamaru could literally fall asleep anywhere, and though she had not voiced her opinion, Sakura had not believed her. Now, she could not help but to agree that the Nara heir, could indeed, nap anywhere he went, if he could fall asleep outside her apartment, uncomfortably arranged against the wall.

With a grin, she invited him in, offering a warm meal, at least. He accepted gladly, still mumbling about troublesome women.

Off on the other side of Konoha, a certain Uchiha Itachi stepped from a long, much needed bath, having already slept for several hours, and feeling rejuvenated. Wrapping a white towel at his narrow hips, he moved to the mirror, which was steamy after the condensation of his bath. Not troubled that it would later rile his mother, he wiped it clear so he could see his reflexion. He was not a particularly superficial man, but he liked to keep his appearance clean and clear.

There was not much to be done about the deep shadows under his eyes, a result of a lifetime of deficient sleep. Having gotten some rest, his skin was not so pale, and pleased, he ran a comb through his hair, tying the silky, raven strands at nape of his neck with a red string.

In a few hours, he would have to meet his team for the mission ahead, which he was not really looking forward to, even if it was important for the village. This in mind, he pulled the sleeveless, navy blue shirt issued by ANBU, and the pants that matched with it. He would put on his armor later, closer to when he had to leave. Until then, he was feeling peckish again, and decided to see if there was anything to eat in the refrigerator.

Much to his gratitude, his mother was in the kitchen, preparing a plate of umeboshi onigiri. She must have heard him upstairs, because he knew she would have made it with salted salmon, should she have planned to eat them herself. She placed the plate down at the table for him, quietly beaming at him. He thanked her for making him something to eat, even if it had been unnecessary, before taking a bite.

As usual, her cooking was exquisite, and even if he preferred sweet to savory, he could not help the pleased sigh that escaped him. However, when his mother took a seat across from him, he was unable to stop the feeling of dread that spread through his chest. Slowly, he chewed though, swallowing at ease. She briefly looked down at her hands, before meeting his eyes.

"Itachi-chan, I know you have been avoiding this for a while now, but your father is serious about it. He will arrange something himself, if he has to." Mikoto murmured, noticing when her son's shoulders tensed ever so slightly.

Itachi had to repress the urge to growl. So it had finally come to this.

Since turning twenty, his father had started urging him to find a bride, and for three years now, he had done nothing about it. Itachi supposed it was his own fault, for procrastinating his duty as Uchiha clan heir to get himself a wife, but it did not make his situation any less infuriating. He saw no need to get a bride so soon, when he was still so young. Perhaps in a few years, when he retired from ANBU, he would consider settling down.

Right now, when missions were so dangerous, and even if it was slim, there was that chance that he may not return home at some point. He would not want to leave a significant other, whether it be a spouse, or a girlfriend, behind. It came with being a shinobi of his rank; he was reluctant to make any close relationships, besides those he could not help, such as those he made with his family members.

"I will not settle for an arranged marriage." He told his mother, angrily taking another bite.

She reached across the table to rest her hand on his forearm reassuringly. "I understand how you feel, but your father does not. He will not rest until he is certain you have found a bride, and you have produced an heir of your own. Maybe he isn't very eloquent at dealing with it, but your father is only like this because he loves you, and wants to be sure that you make a family of your own. Unless you want him to choose a wife for you, I would suggest you do something about this little issue."

Itachi instantly began to think that his own mother was deluded. It would be understandable if she was; she had lived most of her life as wife to the clan head, and this was what she knew. His own father had never entered the ANBU, not that this was a statement to his strength, but he had remained in the Police Force, as many Uchiha did. The sort of danger Itachi faced, his father had not at his age, and therefor, had been more open to marriage.

"Hn," Itachi grunted in response, taking another bite from his onigiri. His mother moaned in exasperation.

"Itachi-chan, at least do something. How about getting closer to a woman? Not romantically, but just an innocent, strictly platonic relationship. It would be a step, and maybe if your father saw that, he would ease off your back a little." She suggested. "I'm tired of you taking all of these stupid, dangerous missions just to avoid him."

He did not respond, intently staring down at the table. Mikoto sighed. She knew that her son was probably going to have to settle with a woman his father chose for him, because clearly, he was not going to do anything about his situation. "Just listen to me, okay? You're going on a mission with Sakura-chan in a few hours, and god knows when you'll be back. In that week, or however long you are gone, try to talk to her. Not as your subordinate, but as a woman, and see where that takes you."

He gave her the most blank, empty stare she had ever seen from him. Even if he did not say it aloud, his eyes clearly said, _'oh, hell no.' _

Frustrated, she pulled the plate away just as he finished his second onigiri, leaving the third for him to fight for. He sighed, as if content with leaving it at that, and not struggling with her for his last ball of rice. This was why she never fought with her eldest son, because he never wanted to. If there were signs of an argument, he would simply end the conversation, and move on. Not this time, though. She was not going to let him.

"What's wrong with Sakura-chan?" She asked artlessly.

Itachi frowned at the very thought. _Everything, _he wanted to say, but could not say that to his mother's face. "Absolutely nothing." He answered through clenched teeth. Of course, she hardly knew what to do with this response. She knew what he had wanted to say, and Mikoto did not appreciate it one bit.

She had always liked Sakura, ever since Sasuke had introduced her to the family as a genin. Mikoto had even found Sakura's not so concealed crush on Sasuke to be adorable, even if it had been somewhat overbearing. She was not sure how Fugaku felt on the matter, but Mikoto would have been happy to welcome Sakura into the family. Still, she could not force her son to do something he did not want, even if her husband had no qualms in doing so.

Well, she had said friends. Maybe there was another girl he would not mind making the smallest, most chaste relationship with.

"Fine, then what about Inuzuka Hana? She's cute."

Her son, however, had the most mortified expression she had ever seen on his face as he shook his head in refusal. Mikoto was forced to think again.

"Shizune-san is pretty, right? Maybe a few years older than you, but she has a certain maturity that other girls don't have." She tried hopefully. At this point, she was just grasping at thin air. Mikoto refused to think that her dearest Itachi-chan was a lost cause, but-

"She is already in a steady relationship with Hagane Kotetsu, Okaa-san."

She hated to suggest her, but she was running out of ideas. "Anko-chan, then. She can be nice." Mikoto said reluctantly. Her son looked as if he was about he was about to throw up.

"Yamanaka Ino?"

Negative.

"Ayame-chan, from Ichiraku?"

No way.

"Hyuga Hinata?"

Itachi froze at that idea, bewildered that his mother would even think of her. "I hardly think Chichi-ue would appreciate me have any sort of relationship with the heir to the Hyuga clan, even if it were platonic. Besides, she has an unbearable devotion to Naruto-kun."

Mikoto knew she was at the end of her line. Hesitantly, she surrendered to Itachi, knowing she would simply have to bring up the conversation when he returned. With that, she returned the plate of onigiri to him, which he gladly consumed.

* * *

A/N: Wow, I updated already! I feel pretty proud of myself, considering I exhausted myself at a concert just a few days ago, and happen to be watching my friend's hyper, spongebob-loving kid. I almost finished this last night, but guess who got into the bottle of nigori sake? Lol. It was yummy.

So, that happened. Is anyone besides me pissed that nickelodeon is making this stupid ninja show? American people can't pull off making something like that, if you ask me. Leave it to the Japanese! :D


	4. Loss of Atmosphere

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto. Unfortunately.

* * *

Resolute a stance of defiance, always teetering on the brink.

Nothing can hold you back when you're not holding back a thing.

* * *

In the late afternoon sun, its gentle light slowly ebbing, Itachi stood, patiently waiting for his team to arrive. They were five minutes late as it was, unacceptable in itself, but he decided to let this one slide. As much genius as Nara Shikamaru was, he had the tendency to take his time, no matter what the issue was. Besides, he decided to himself, whatever time they wasted, the team would make up with speed on their journey to Kusa.

After ten more minutes of waiting, and his tolerance running thin, Itachi finally saw the two of them, Sakura's arm liked around Shikamaru's again. She was laughing about something, and the unlucky jonin seemed to be the butt end of her joke. Shikamaru did not seem bothered by her teasing, making him assume they were much more familiar than originally thought. He should have hoped that would mean a more productive mission, but by the looks of it, they were not going to make this as quick and painless as he wanted it to be.

Crossing his arms to show his irritability, Itachi scowled at the pair as they casually approached, in no rush at all, even if they were behind schedule by a quarter hour. "I see that Hatake-san has rubbed off on you, Haruno. Tardiness is a bad habit to have as a shinobi, especially a medic." He intoned nonchalantly. Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow in surprise at the Uchiha's insult.

It had been his fault that he and Sakura had been late, and based on how she had tensed angrily next to him, she was taking it personally. He could understand why; Sakura had grown in leaps to become the kunoichi she had become, and had fought with her physical weakness through blood, sweat and tears. She was definitely a commendable medic-nin, but still faced her own lack of confidence. For someone of Itachi's rank to so easily belittle her was to a certain extent cruel, since it was because of those above her that Sakura had worked so hard.

Ino was Sakura's best friend, and his teammate. He knew much more about the pink-haired kunoichi than most, and to a degree, understood her pains. To be placed on a team with Naruto and Sasuke had to have been difficult, considering how those two had become legends even as genin, while she had lagged behind, always having to be protected by those stronger than her.

Her reaction, however, was not nearly as violent as he had expected. "Well, if we were late, it's your fault, _Taichou." _She sneered. Usually, there would have been fists flying, when Sakura was looked down upon in such a manner. Both males were surprised by her display of self-control. Curious, and feeling devious, Itachi wondered how long that would last.

"Really, now, Haruno. Care to explain how I am responsible for your want of punctuality? I seriously doubt you could push the blame on me." His lips curled upwards in a treacherous smirk as Itachi pushed himself up from where he had been leaning on a tall beech. As he stalked to the walkway from the woodsy area he had been waiting in, he stuffed his hands in his pockets, reminiscent of Sasuke, though Sakura supposed it was the younger brother who had posed after the elder.

"I'm pretty sure I can explain it in a way that even you would understand, Uchiha-Taichou," Sakura challenged, placing her hands on either hip. His eyes narrowed at her own jibe.

"I woke up at five in the morning, no thanks to you, after having only arrived home at three because of the several, major surgeries I had to perform which cut most of my chakra supplies in half. By the time I got back home to get more sleep, it was time that I had to meet my team. I asked Shikamaru if he could stay at my front porch, to make sure your idiotic brother and Naruto didn't wake me up."

The glare on his face grew tenfold.

"He ended up falling asleep out there, and by the time we had both woken up, it was already mid-afternoon. I made him something to eat, to make up for him falling asleep outside, before getting ready for the mission I have to go on with your stupid ass. He kindly waited for me to finish making us all a bento for later, before we stopped at the Nara residence to pick up a few supplies. We came straight here after that."

His rebuttal was quick and heartless. "It is not my fault you wasted time, and it was unnecessary for you to bring bento. I doubt we will have time to eat them. This isn't some D-Rank mission, Haruno."

That was it. Something inside the kunoichi cracked at this, and the most dangerous, innocently sweet smile crossed her cherry lips. "Oh, really? Then I suppose I won't have to lug yours around, will I?" She asked rhetorically, violently turning from her team and continuing to where the check out point was. Kotetsu was on break, leaving Izumo in his stead. Wordlessly, she pulled a scroll from her pack, rolled it out, and released its seal.

From it came a mountainous stack of medical volumes, what appeared to be extra clothing, spare weaponry, and three bento boxes, wrapped in cloth with care. Grinning adorably, she took the one on top, and handed it over to the assistant on watch. "Izumo-kun, I don't think a certain captain in my team wants the dinner I made him, so would you mind taking it off my hands? We wouldn't want it to go to waste, would we?" She asked with her winning smile.

His eyes widened, glancing over her shoulder at an especially grumpy Uchiha Itachi, before grinned back at her. "Seriously? Your cooking has to be the best in Konoha. People would kill for one of your bento boxes! But it depends. What's for dessert?"

She knew exactly what he meant by that, just by his lascivious leer. "What did you want for dessert?" She asked back, deciding to go with whatever he wanted, as long as it would annoy Itachi somehow. Knowing Izumo, and how big of a flirt he was, it would get on her asexual team captain's nerves. He would not appreciate such antics while on the job, that much she was certain of.

"I wanted a kiss."

Sakura laughed, playfully smacking his shoulders from across the stall he sat behind, then resealed her scroll, and put it back in her pack. Quickly, she signed her name on the chart of those leaving the village, allowing Itachi and Shikamaru to catch up in time. Snickering, he pointed to his lips and jokingly puckered. She leaned in and gave him a big, wet one right on the cheek just as Itachi took the chart to write down his own name.

Giggling, she pulled back, clearly amused by his disappointed face. "You're such a teaser, Sakura-chan. And I really thought you were going to kiss me!"

"You should know me well enough by now, Izumo-kun," she teased, getting a quick glance at Itachi's signature to see that it was not nearly as neat as usual, instead, it was a barely legible scribble. Pleased to think that she had annoyed him to such a state, she blew Izumo a second kiss. "Maybe when I get back, hm?"

Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru wrote down his own name, lifting his head just in time to see Sakura skipping ahead childishly, snickering as she went. "Come on, _Taichou, _we're late."

What a drag.

* * *

This was the girl that his mother had suggested he become friends with. His mother had practically told him that she thought this diabolical girl would be a good match for him. Who she fit with, in his opinion, was the devil. To think that Izumo thought she had the best cooking in Konoha, when her skills were probably no better than average. Obviously, he had never had his mother's cooking, or he would not have dared think they were rivals in culinary abilities.

How was he supposed to be even remotely friendly with a demon-child who had not only participated in a public display of affection with a notorious flirt like Izumo, but had done it while on the clock? It simply was not something he was capable of. Then she had the gall to run ahead, telling him, after he had waited for a complete fifteen minutes, that _he_ was behind.

He would sooner rip out her spine and stab her to death with it than found any sort of relationship with her. He would rather kill _himself _then make a friendship with her, as his mother had advised. Itachi finally had to accept the facts, because evidently, his mother had lost all reason.

She had to be deluded, to think that Haruno Sakura was a good girl, as she had earlier called her. To imagine, he had promised his mother that he would watch over that girl, to be sure she did not do anything particularly foolish, to be sure she did not push herself too hard. It was much too late for him to prevent her from doing anything absurd, because before they even could leave the village, she had made herself look like an idiot.

For fact, he was not sure he was going to be able to leave her waiting for him get back at her, after how this mission had started. She would be lucky if she even got as far as Konoha's border, the way she had acted. Any more from her, and _he _would snap, and he could guarantee, that was not something anyone wanted to see.

Itachi was not really a violent person, at least not by nature. He was more of a pacifist, so it was rare when anyone could get him this angry-angry enough to kill of his own free will. He did not want this girl to make him any more of a murderer than he already was, she would be a wasted kill. She was not worth his energy.

He was brought from his reverie almost suddenly, when there was a soft tap on his shoulder. Abruptly, he turned to his left, where Shikamaru was running steadily beside him. "Taichou, you're scaring away all the wildlife with the killing intent you're releasing. It's going to give us away when we pass through Ame." He said blandly, his eyes bored.

Itachi ground his teeth, before letting out a long, wholehearted sigh. Shikamaru was right. This was just ridiculous. He was acting like a child, angry because someone managed to get under his skin. Sasuke and Shisui both managed to annoy him on a regular basis, and he never felt that urge to take them by the neck, throttle them violently until the lights faded from their eyes, and chuckle while he did so. Though he supposed he did not (should not) want to do this to Haruno Sakura, either.

She was a talented medic-nin, from what he had heard. He but rarely needed her assistance, but in those few times he had visited the hospital, she had always been professional and quick to get her job done. Usually appreciated this in a teammate, but he was not showing that part of her. All he saw was the irksome woman who was determined to make this mission hell for him.

He hardly even knew why. She had always been respectful, and even if she always sided with Sasuke, Itachi realized that was because they were on the same team. All he had done was wake her up to send her Tsunade's way. He was not to blame because she had only gotten a two hours of sleep before he had arrived, he had just been following orders. It was not as if he had put her patients into the hospital, making her stay late after her shift.

It was not necessarily her fault either, besides that nasty temper of hers, and even then, he had been the one to rile her up. Still, she was holding him responsible for all this, which was not something he could accept. She was acting more like a child than he was, and even if his mother had told him she pushed herself, far be it from him to stop her.

Slowly, he exhaled again, trying to rid himself of that pent up frustration. "Nara," he barked, "How is Haruno's behavior on most missions?" He asked at last. If Shikamaru was surprised by this question, he did not show it.

Shikamaru shrugged. "I haven't had too many missions with her. She hangs out a lot with Ino though, who was on my genin team, so I see her around plenty." He replied dully. Based of the flat stare he was given, this was not exactly what the Uchiha heir had wanted to hear from him. "She has a crazy temper, but she's always had very little confidence in herself, even if she is one of the most praised kunoichi in Konoha. She's always been like that though. Something from her childhood, I think. Ino wouldn't tell me."

Silently, Itachi wondered if that had anything to have to do with that day he had found her stumbling into his training grounds, beaten and crying, chased by the other girls her age. Women could be cruel, he knew, because of their superficiality, and inclination to shun those that do not match their merit. This Ino girl, assumedly the same Yamanaka Ino that his mother had suggested he grow close with, must have, at some point, met Sakura in a similar situation to when he had, for her to know about the bullying.

Perhaps he should go to this Yamanaka Ino, and ask what had happened to Sakura for her to be so abrasive. He could not understand how that sweet, little girl could have possibly grown up into the violent, volatile woman she had become. Maybe he was putting too much thought into it though. Mentally, he shook his head. This was ludicrous.

It was none of his business why she was so moody, because she had her moments, with certain people, that she was downright pleasant. There was no rule that said she had to act like that with him. She could hate him all she wanted, because the feeling was mutual. He could sincerely say he disliked Haruno Sakura, even if she was some miracle worker who saved lives by the handful every day.

Besides, even if he did try to speak with her best friend, it was likely that the blond kunoichi would throw herself at him with no abandon, just like any other mindless female in the village. In this case, Itachi guessed he was lucky, because Sakura showed no such interest in him. If she had, the mission they had would feel at that much longer.

After a long pause, Shikamaru cleared his throat. "Whatever you're thinking, Taichou, Sakura is a good teammate to have, and she seriously thinks about whoever she works with." He said quietly. "I told her she did not need to make me a bento either, but she was determined to make sure everyone had proper energy to get to Kusa at a reasonable time. She's just sensitive." Shikamaru grumbled grudgingly.

Itachi thought for a moment. Was that it? He had offended her because he told her he did not need her bento? Perhaps he had been a little cold about it, but at the same time, he had been serious. He did not intend to stop long enough for them eat any sort of meal, let alone sleep. As he had told her, this was no C-rank mission. She was a jonin, so she should have known how things were run; but of course, she had been teamed with Kakashi, Naruto and his own, foolish otouto since she was a genin.

He looked over his shoulder at the kunoichi behind him, who had taken the duty of watching their backs, guarding them from the rear. Though she was holding up just fine since their leaving a few hours back, it struck Itachi that both of his teammates were not ANBU, and had not been trained to run for days on end. It would three days, at least, to reach Kusa, with the rate they were keeping, but if they stopped, it would be longer.

Already, he could tell they would not make it that long, as strong as they pretended to be. His own team rarely let them run for a complete three days, let alone one. Frowning to himself, he looked up at the dark sky, estimating it was some time around midnight. It would be another hour or so before they reached the thickest section of the forest, and if they had to rest, that would be the best place.

* * *

The pride of her accomplishment had worn off after the first three hours of travel through Fire Country's vast forest. At a certain point, however, it had grown old, and she had begun to feel slightly guilty for what she had done. He may have said he had not wanted the bento she had made, and had implied that her skills as a shinobi were not as sharp as they could have been, but she had heard worse from Team Seven before, when she had been younger, and they had not been so closely knit.

Even if Sasuke had said something particularly cruel to her, she had never given away his bento in anger. He could have told her to her face that he hated her, and when break came around, she would still give him whatever she had made. And he would eat it reluctantly, before awkwardly complementing her abilities to cook, afterwards going back to pretending she did not exist.

She did not really hate Itachi, she had a hard time actually hating anyone, but somehow, when he had said that to her earlier, it had hurt more than anything Sasuke had said when they were genin. Maybe it was because Itachi had been the one, originally, who had encouraged her to become stronger, so she could stand up for herself. It had been that much more painful to hear that he thought her unworthy, after he had been so kind to her in her childhood.

Halfheartedly, she smiled up ahead at the backs of Shikamaru and Itachi, who had taken the front defensive, in case of unexpected attacks. Sakura wanted so badly to compare Itachi to his brother, but they really were different. She also wished she was cold enough to continue saying Itachi was a complete prick, but like this, he was not so terrible. She always _had _had that tendency to react to things explosively, and act before thinking.

Possibly, he would let her make it up to him somehow. The bento boxes she had made for each of them were much bigger than what one person could consume alone, so she could easily give him some of what she had. If she did this, maybe he would not hate her so much. At least, she could hope this would help heal the breach.

Much to her surprise, about an hour later, Itachi abruptly halted, cutting both her and Shikamaru short. Silently, she took in her surroundings. The distance from Kusa and Konoha was much farther than what could be possibly traveled within the span of a night, and as it was, it was already early morning, around five hours before daybreak. Surprised by his actions, she turned to their captain in curiosity.

"We will rest here for the remainder of the night, and continue to our destination at sunrise." He answered her unasked question. She nodded, showing she understood the plan, while finding a tall pine to lean against. Sakura stretched with feline grace, before settling on the ground amongst the tree's roots, crossing her legs lazily. Shikamaru sank down at the tree to her left, while Itachi fluidly sat into the roots of an oak across from her.

Sighing, she dug through her belongings, before retrieving her scroll. Removing its seal with ease, she passed Shikamaru the bento she had kindly made him, and he caught it, giving her a thankful nod of his head. She smiled back at him in satisfaction, knowing not to expect anything more for him. For a moment, she could only observe the uncommunicative Uchiha, as he sifted through his own gear, pulling out the mission instructions Tsunade had tossed at him on their way out of her office that morning.

Sighing with defeat, she got to her feet and crossed the small glade they had settled in. He did not look up at her, even when she crouched down next to him, eyes scanning the scroll in his hands. She could tell already that he really had no intention in eating anything, which, as the team medic, she could not allow. Surely, he would understand her actions, in that point of view.

"Uchiha Taichou," she uttered, catching his attention at last. "The bento I packed for myself has too much food for me to eat alone. Since we took a break after all, I would like to offer some of mine to you."

If he was shocked by her offer, he did not show it. His response was just as calm and sedate as usual. "That is unnecessary, Haruno. You may eat your meal in peace."

Sakura clenched her teeth in annoyance. Why did all Uchiha have to be so goddamned stubborn, anyway? "No offense, Taichou, but as medic of this team, I must insist you eat something. My only priority is that our team be able to function properly tomorrow, when we continue our journey to Kusa. Carbohydrates are an essential component for replenishing chakra supplies, as well as proteins and a certain level of fat. Without a balanced meal, I'm afraid you will not be able to operate to the best of your ability tomorrow."

Shikamaru seemed surprised by this, because the sausage he had been about to eat fell from his chopsticks, landing back in the box. He lifted his head then, waiting to see how Itachi would answer to this. Chocolate-brown eyes picked up on the slight tensing of his captain's shoulder and back, showing his discomfort of this rebuttal. He was not disappointed.

"While appreciated, Haruno, I am perfectly fine. You should be more concerned with yourself. Eat your meal and get some rest. I will not be giving you any time tomorrow to take any breaks." He answered smoothly, eyes returning to the scroll in his lap. Itachi had meant this to be the end of the conversation, but Sakura was not having it.

"I apologize, Taichou, but since _I _am the one with the extensive medical knowledge, I will not be able to allow this."

Dark, ebony eyes narrowed at her words. His gaze snapped up at hers, meeting her emerald eyes with a hard edge. She was pushing his patience, and she knew it. "While that may be so, I happen to have a greater endurance than you and Nara combined. I can handle a few days without sustenance, while I doubt you can. Three days is shorter than the average ANBU time to go without rest or food."

Sakura swore under her breath. This man was as inflexible as they came. It would be easier to convince Kakashi to remove his mask then to get this Uchiha to do as she wanted him. She had been nice, too.

"I am sure that is true, but you only returned to Konoha for around ten hours before leaving again for this mission. Your body is still trying to recuperate from the previous mission, and is not prepared to go without any source of nourishment again. So, unless you want to die from starvation and chakra deprivation, since you will be incapable to replenish your supplies without some sort of provision, I would suggest you have some of my bento."

It was clear to the Nara genius that neither shinobi intended to surrender. He was not about to jump between them, however, unless fists started flying. Considering how temperamental Sakura was, it was only a matter of time before that happened. Troublesome woman.

Itachi did not counter Sakura's argument, deciding to instead ignore her opinion all together. "Get some rest, Haruno."

"I am the medic, and Tsunade's pupil. I can have you pulled from the mission roster for this, Uchiha."

His hard gaze turned back to his scroll. "I am the captain, Haruno. You forget with whom you speak." He had told himself he would not do this with her, that he would not fight any more. Itachi could not believe she had manage to pull this out of him so fully.

She was silent for a moment, much to his satisfaction, until he heard the telltale sounds of wood rattling, and the scent of her cooking hit his nose with a strength he had a hard time ignoring. As much as he hated to admit it, it did smell good. Not that it was anything compared to what his mother would have made, and he would not ever dare tell her that the smell was tempting him.

Much to his own astonishment, and to that of the Nara observing them quietly, she turned his head by force, grabbing his chin with a gloved hand. Angered to say the least, he snatched her wrist, tugging it away from his face, and giving her just the opening she needed. With a speed she had not been expecting, she had slipped a bite of gyoza into his unsuspecting mouth.

Well, he could hardly spit it out, and it _did _taste good. She gave him an impish grin, that clearly declared she had won this round.

"So, _Taichou," _she taunted, "do I have to help you chew too, or are you going to stop acting like such a baby?"

* * *

After the first two days, their near constant bickering had started to get on Shikamaru's nerves. He was used to dealing with Ino, who by far, was worse than Sakura, but when she was with the Uchiha, she was simply unmanageable. At some points, he felt as if he were intruding, as if their persistent quarreling was some strange sort of flirting. Of course, he had to banish this thought from his mind each time their disagreements reared its head again.

There was no way in hell that two people who appeared to hate each other with such a passion could possibly be courting. He knew they probably had no idea what it looked like, each time they butted heads. It got tedious though, the way they managed to argue about everything that came up. Shikamaru was just thankful that Itachi was normally such an introverted, quiet sort of man. Otherwise, it would have been ten times worse, he was sure.

However, the peace could not resume for long, before chaos proceeded again.

"Haruno, keep up. We need to reach Kusa by nightfall."

Sakura fumed at his order, already going the fastest she could possibly go without draining herself of what chakra she had left in her reserves. "It is still morning, _Taichou, _or can't you tell time anymore?" She mocked.

"Oh, I forgot. You have your special needs, right, Haruno?" He barked back, gaining even more speed. Personally, Shikamaru was having trouble keeping up as well, and quickly getting irritated by their antics. He had ignored, or at least tried to, for the past several days, but it was reaching a point where it was just too much. Uchiha Itachi was becoming simply cruel, and Sakura was no better than him.

"What are you talking about, _princess_? I'm not the one with the long hair." Sakura retorted, exerting more chakra into the soles of her feet, earning more momentum with each step. Much to Shikamaru's exasperation, she shot ahead of him, pacing herself to run side by side with their captain. It was turning into a race he did not want to be a part of.

"Really? Well, I am certain you deserve that title more than myself. You're the one with pink hair."

"Ah, yes, but do you think I have the time to condition and treat my hair like you do? Yours is so silky, I bet you've been confused as a woman more than once."

"Do I sense jealousy, Haruno?"

"As if! I don't care how-

Shikamaru lost it. He simply stopped running, letting them continue on ahead for a few seconds, before they realized he was no longer keeping up. Panting, Sakura paused, turning back to look at the aggravated Nara, while Itachi ceased at the next tree branch. Glaring, and Sharingan spinning dangerously he circled back. Both of his teammates were bordering on exhausted, and even he was feeling slightly winded.

"You two are such a drag to travel with." Shikamaru griped, wiping beads of sweat from his brow. He had never planned to intervene, especially since it would be considered disrespectful for him to speak back at his own captain, even if Sakura had no qualms for doing so. "If this is how it is going to be the entire time, then I will turn back and go home right now."

Itachi sighed, regaining his composure. The lazy genius was right, after all. He had to stop his immature, completely uncharacteristic behavior. This was no way to lead a team, and his own lack of control became suddenly shocking. He never had acted so rashly before in his entire life, and it was best to ignore Sakura completely, if it meant he could lead the team more appropriately.

He slipped from the branch he was perched up on, landing on the ground soundlessly. His team followed after him, and he shared a short glare with Sakura, before turning his head, sensing the soft sounds of running water. "We will break here. I'm going to refill our water supplies."

Then he was gone, leaving them no choice but to stay put. Shikamaru gave her a hard look, and she awkwardly grinned. "You are becoming worse than Ino is."

She breathed out in a small puff. "Yeah, sorry about that, Shikamaru," she said, before pursing her lips together. "I did tell you he was a complete bastard!"

The even stare he gave her made her wince.

"Okay, okay. I won't fight with him at all for the rest of the way to Kusa. I promise."

He smirked wearily. "I suppose the moment we get there, it will start up again?"

She sighed. "No, but I can't make any deals."

Sakura dejectedly stared down at her feet. When she was being scolded by someone like Shikamaru, who usually did not give a crap about anything, she knew it was really bad. Admittedly, she took a little too much after Tsunade, and was prone to get irritated a little too easily. If course, Tsunade would not be particularly pleased to hear about this episode, but it could not be helped.

Much too soon, Itachi was back, canteens of water full. He took a long gulp from one of them, before handing it to her. Too tired to fight him, she drank from it as well, before giving it to Shikamaru. Calming her breath, Sakura curled a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, clearing her dirt-covered, sweaty face. Guiltily, she met the steady gaze of Itachi.

As much as she enjoyed poking fun at his masculinity, she could not deny that he had lovely eyes.

Faintly embarrassed for her conduct the past few days, she bit her lip, and stuck her hand out. "I want to call a truce, Uchiha-Taichou," she murmured. "My behavior has not been up to standards, so far."

Tentatively, he grasped her small, feminine hand, curling long, clearly male fingers about it almost carefully. As if he thought he could break her. His hand was warm around hers, radiating heat as he shook it. "I accept you respite. My behavior has been no better." He confessed softly.

Shikamaru slumped with relief, only hoping that this cease-fire would last long enough for them to return to Konoha, so he would not have to witness it any longer. So far, this had to be the worst mission he had been assigned yet.

Besides, how much worse could it possibly get? Shikamaru was certain he had seen to worse of it, even if they did start fighting again.

* * *

A/N: Yeesh, I need to take a break. I'm going to get carpal-tunnel at this rate. Gotta love spring break though. I'm such a loser...all I've done is write the entire break...but hey, you guys love me anyway, right? The only thing I hate is that I won't be able to write so much when I return to school again. I've been writing so long, I don't think I've eaten since last night...oh well. Food is overrated.

I would rather get reviews! :U nom, nom, nom!


	5. Pumping Through My Veins

Disclaimer: Who, me? No. I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Back and forth, the struggle consumes us all.

Trying to keep a level head, in the most unsettling of times.

* * *

The small village known as Kusagakure was much more hospitable than Sakura had been expecting. Knowing the past her own village had with them, it was somewhat astonishing when the head of Kusa met them at the entrance gates with open arms. Yamako Hideyoshi had only recently ascended to leader of Kusa, but had told them, multiple times, that he had always hoped to heal the connection his village had once had with Konoha.

With a smile, Sakura had kindly explained that she had come in behalf of her Hokage to share her medical knowledge with Kusa. Hideyoshi had been slightly wary, naturally, when he had realized just who was standing behind the seemingly gentle medic-nin. He was in every published version of the international Bingo book as an S-class shinobi who had been a member of the black operatives since the tender age of thirteen.

This startle was short lived, however, when he took notice that the Uchiha's stance was strictly at ease, and that his dark eyes were merely observing his surroundings cautiously. It was taught in Kusa, as well as Iwa, much like with Konoha's Yondaime, that all shinobi were to flee at first sight of Uchiha Itachi, for fear of his dangerous Sharingan.

It was difficult, as leader of his village, to invite this monstrous foe right into their walls, but he supposed if it meant peace with the strongest shinobi nation, it would be worth the risk. Besides, there was another with them as well, who looked much too idle to put up any sort of fight, and the kunoichi with pink hair was as gentle as they came. So, if the Leaf's infamous Uchiha Itachi was traveling with someone such as them, the chances of his teammates allowing violence seemed slim.

So, with his best manners, he led the troupe of exhausted shinobi to the village's best, and only, inn, suggesting they rest, and giving the owner payment for their staying there. The girl had smiled brightly, before briskly turning, and snatching the keys from the innkeeper's hands. The Uchiha sighed in distress, following after, the last shinobi, whom he still had not gotten the name of, shortly walking after them.

* * *

The moment Sakura was certain Hideyoshi was out of hearing range, she tossed one of the two keys over he shoulder wordlessly, knowing Itachi would easily catch it. While she was grateful that Hideyoshi had bothered to get them rooms at all, she would have been happier if they had gotten one for each of them, instead of only two. She would live with it, though, as long as she could share with the inactive Nara, rather than her infuriating captain.

Itachi stared down at the key in his hand, not having to ask to know that it went to the smaller of the two room, meaning Sakura had given him a room of his own. While this gesture was certainly kind of her, considering he knew she was still not particularly happy to have him a part of the team. Finally, he had reached a place of indifference, and she had to do this. Well, he did not find it at all acceptable for her to be sharing the room with Nara, when she could easily have her own room.

He tapped her on the shoulder, quietly handing her back the key. "That is hardly appropriate, Haruno. You take the room to yourself."

Itachi had said this with all the kindness he could possibly muster, and even then, she turned on him from the step above on the stairs, a glower hardening her bright, green eyes. "Who are you, Uchiha, my father? I'm not a child, and I can take care of myself just fine. Besides, I doubt Shikamaru is going to bust a move." She snapped back, her pride clearly hurt.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Well, she was right. "That didn't last long," he muttered, continuing up the stairs to the second floor. He was half tempted to propose that _they _share the room, since all they were going to do was fight either way, but he could only imagine what sort of damage would be done to the inn if that happened. Never mind the inn, the entire village would be destroyed in the wake of their chaos.

Itachi took another step upwards to her, standing on the same level as her. "That was not my implication, Haruno. I only meant that you would much rather have a room to yourself, then to share it with one of us."

She suddenly let out a bark of laughter, dripping with venom as they warmed her cheeks. She regained her composure though, like the flip of a switch. "You sure as hell got that right, Uchiha. I don't want to share a room with you. And the good person that I am, I'm not going to throw Shikamaru into the dungeon either. Therefore, I'm sharing a room with him."

Again, the keys into the single-bed room was dropped into his hand. To say he felt insulted by her jibe would have been an understatement. She thought she was saving Nara by sharing a room with him, instead of letting them bunk together? This was just beyond ridiculous, and he was not going to take it.

"Haruno, I must insist that you take the room," he answered cordially, trying to not let his newly found temper get the best of him, as it had the last time she had taken the opposition. The kunoichi really was testing him though, unlike anyone else had ever been able to before. "For the sake of civility, if nothing else."

This, she ignored, smiling brightly at Shikamaru, who was already standing at the door into the suite they would be sharing. He had accepted the fact he was going to be splitting a room with someone no matter what happened. Really, he hardly cared any more. It was a waste of energy to stress himself over the argumentative duo.

Without warning, he was jerked into the room, before Sakura shut the door in their captain's face.

"See, I wasn't that bad this time, right?"

When he did not answer her, she gave up, tossing her heavy pack onto one of the beds, collapsing after it. She smothered a scream into a pillow, getting out her frustration, before feeling rather silly for having to resort to such childish actions. She really had tried not to fight with him, but when he practically told her she was an innocent, little girl who needed protection from sexually active (or so she assumed, with Shikamaru, one never could tell) males, that had pushed her.

Not that it mattered what she did, because Shikamaru would never judge her. He was decidedly understanding about things, especially when it came to her outrageous antics. He was constantly dealing Tsunade, who was probably worse than her, and Ino was his teammate. As far as she was concerned, he had seen the worst from them, and she was just like an old replay. They went way back, knowing each other since the academy.

Since they were both considered geniuses back during their instruction, though neither up to par in their other skills as the other students, they had been partnered up for activities often. Her body had been frail and unsuited for taijutsu, while he had simply been too lazy to practice stances and beginner kata. Of course, Shikamaru had always hung with Choji, while she had been around Ino until they later decided to go their separate ways, but they had been close enough.

Having thrown a long enough fit to satisfy herself, Sakura peeked her head up from the pillows on the bed she had claimed. The curtains to the large window next to her bed were swept to the side, giving a view of Kusa's green scenery. Its beauty could never hold a candle to Konoha's, if you asked her, but in the pinks and oranges of the setting sun, it had a very calming affect.

As if to remind her what time of day it was, her stomach growled at her, demanding sustenance. She sat up, gazing around the room to see that Shikamaru had taken the bathroom, and probably would not be out for another ten minutes or so, by the sound of a large faucet's pattering against tile. She could easily guess he had chosen to take a shower before anything else.

Sakura could not blame him. She scowled as she sniffed her red vest, several questionable odors reaching her nose. It was to be expected though, when a certain Uchiha Itachi decided that they did not have the time to bathe, and that getting to Kusa was priority. Apparently, appearances as a foreign delegate meant nothing to him, even if it was his village they were representing.

Not really caring if Shikamaru saw her in such a revealed state, she peeled the vest from her skin, a new stench of sweat and dirt mingling into her senses. She tugged her beige, medical skirt off as well, leaving her in a pair of black, spandex shorts and the bindings she wrapped about her breasts. Growling, she stood, throwing her dirty clothes off to the side to be cleaned later, before untying the hitai-ate sitting proudly on the crown of her head. Unruly, coral locks fell over her eyes before she pulled it back in a sloppy bun.

She turned around at the sound of the door sliding open, expecting a maid to have come with a fresh, hotel yukata to wear later, only to find her stunned captain standing in the opening. He was the dead last person she would have wanted to see her in such a state of undress.

Sure, she was not naked, and as a kunoichi, she had no problem walking around in a similar condition around her old teammates, and even others from the Rookie Nine, but this situation called for something else. Hell, she would probably feel more comfortable strutting around like this with Genma, Shisui, Izumo and every other flirt she could possibly think of drooling over her.

Sakura flushed a bright, crimson red, giving away her embarrassment.

Itachi blinked once. Then again. His disbelief was incomprehensible. So, perhaps she was closer with Nara than earlier assumed, but he had never seen a kunoichi parade around her teammates in practically nothing. Maybe he had not had a female shinobi on his own genin team, or any team after that, but he had never imagined that kunoichi were so..._open _about their bodies. Open in a way he could have lived his entire life without seeing.

She evidently had an attractive figure, and those form fitting shorts and the tight bindings around her breasts made sure to show that off, but he seriously had not wanted to see that. Not at all. But he still could not help it.

Dark eyes scoured her supple body, unable to break away from that flat stomach and round, full bust, until he realized what exactly he was doing. A narrow waist and womanly hips he could not have possibly seen through her clothing swayed as she approached him furiously. Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, she tugged him, frozen with shock, into the room just in time for a passing couple to snicker at them. He could hardly believe himself; _he _was checking her out.

The door shut, and her yelling commenced.

* * *

Shikamaru had heard the shouting of an irate kunoichi before he even finished his shower. Knowing that they would still be at it when he got out was not an incentive for him to hurry out of the stream of hot water, since all he heard now was a dull roar compared to what Itachi was dealing with. Still, his situation would be even worse if the room ran out of hot water, and Sakura had to take a cold shower. He could only picture what she would do to him then.

So, after fifteen minutes were up, he emerged from the bathroom in fresh clothing, a heavy cloud of steam following after him. He was surprised to find Sakura wearing practically nothing, shrieking at their captain with no abandon. Well, he supposed in this case, she had reason to be furious with Itachi, since he had probably just walked into the room to speak with the team as a whole, and had not had a clue she was mostly undressed.

Itachi _should _have knocked, if he was making the correct assumptions, so he had to side with Sakura, even if she was overreacting. With a bland expression, he walked forward, and though he usually did not like involving himself in anything of this sort, he dragged Sakura away, wordlessly throwing her into the bathroom. With a quiet huff, he slumped over to his bed, crossing his legs before taking a portable game board from his pack of personal belongings.

Bored, he turned to the silent Uchiha, before quietly suggesting, "Shogi?"

Itachi sighed. "Sure."

With a small smirk, Shikamaru set up the board quickly, fully prepared to go to war.

Three thoughtful games later, and what could have been a good hour, Sakura reentered the main room, frustrated to find both males in a heated battle of wits. She was sorely tempted to tell Itachi that the whole purpose in giving him the room to himself was so that she would not have to see hind or tail of him. Both shinobi turned when she returned from the bathroom, dressed in the yukata most inns set aside for customers.

Still slightly flustered by what had happened, but certainly calmed down after such a long, relaxing shower, Sakura refused to meet Itachi's eye, instead settling back on her own bed, and lugging out a medical tome she had been thoughtful enough to bring with her to Kusa. Licking a finger, she flipped through the ancient, dry pages, until finding a certain article she wanted to look over before starting the next day.

She retrieved a pen and notebook, scanning some of her older notes, before finding a fresh page, and jotting down a few things she wanted to review with the Kusa medic-nin she would be meeting with at the small hospital they managed to run. Really, though, the clacking of pieces as the silent genii clashed was slowly becoming distracting. She could not help innocently glancing to them for a moment, watching their game, before shaking her head and forcing herself to focus.

After twenty minutes, the words on the page began to swim, and she lost interest completely, deciding to watch their game instead. With a small sigh, she surrendered, crossing the small suite to sit on Shikamaru's bed as well. She bit her lip, watching as the went back and forth, neither gaining the upper-hand. It was only towards the end that Itachi finally took the lead, winning without much more fuss.

Sakura had never seen _anyone _beat Shikamaru at shogi, and Itachi was the last person she would have thought to play any sort of game. Though she supposed that it made sense he would know shogi at least, since it was originally made for developing strategies in time of war, and most of the Uchiha elders spent their afternoons playing it out on their porches.

For anyone to have the same level of intelligence, legend or not, was somewhat shocking. "Shikamaru, you can lose? I thought for sure that you never the loser." She teased, elbowing the beaten Nara playfully. He rolled his eyes almost affectionately.

"I lost to you once, didn't I?" He asked back, helping Itachi set the board up again. Itachi's eyes flickered up from the shogi board at this comment, however, surprised that Sakura could have, possibly, been a worthy opponent. She seemed much too impatient and hotheaded to sit through a board game, and he had honestly doubted she had enough tact to vanquish someone of Nara's level.

She laughed at the memory, helping Shikamaru put his pieces back. "I almost forgot about that. And here, I thought you had said that was only beginners luck. Are you taking that back now?" She questioned jokingly, ignoring when her hands accidently brushed with Itachi's.

"I didn't say that," he grumbled, frowning. "I just meant that I lose sometimes, too. I've lost two games out of four to Uchiha-san just today."

Sakura suddenly stopped ignoring him, and turned with a certain confidence he had not expected. Itachi lifted a charcoal eyebrow on his forehead, bewildered by her expression. "So, Uchiha _Taichou, _you up for another game?" She asked devilishly. Itachi was not one to back down from a fight, even if his opponent was a girl.

"I won't go easy on you, Haruno," he scoffed. Not so subtly, she cracked her knuckles threatening, shooing Shikamaru from his spot so she could take his place. Instantly, Shikamaru regretted bringing out his Shoji board at all, even if their match was sure to be entertaining.

Within five minutes, Sakura was already screaming that the Uchiha had cheated in some way.

* * *

One, god awful month. That was how long it took for the Kusa medic-nin to be retrained by Sakura. Kusagakure had been much more welcoming than the three shinobi had suspected, so the knowledge Itachi had gathered had not been as useful as they had expected it to be, and it would probably have been fine if he had left altogether for home. Sakura would have much preferred it, at least, but as captain, he had felt it his duty to be sure the team remained together until reaching Konoha again.

Shikamaru wondered why he had been assigned to the team at all, until he was asked by Kusa's leader if he could look over some of their security tactics. Ironically, he had suggested Itachi assist them, since _he _had been the one to sneak through so easily not long before the mission they were on. Not that Hideyoshi really knew that.

Finally, however, after five weeks; one spent traveling, and the other four in Kusagakure, the trio returned home, glad to be back on familiar grounds. Sight of the village had Sakura spurting forward, where she laughingly collided with Sasuke and Naruto in a forced group hug. Her boys had been waiting for her there, as to be expected.

"So, Sakura-chan, you're not weird friends with _his royal bitchiness, _are you?" Naruto asked, tearing away from his heart's sister. Both he and Sasuke were dumbfounded when Sakura gave that sweet, innocent smile she sent their way every time she was about to reek havoc. A shudder of trepidation crept up and down either of their spines, the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end.

Naruto instinctively took a step backwards, away from the clearly distraught Sakura. "Friends?" She asked cheerfully. "Friends, with that bastard?" She asked again, this time venom seeping through the very insinuation of her voice. Sasuke did not even want to know what had happened between his brother and Sakura during that mission, at this point. "I'd rather die than be friends with _his royal bitchiness, _you hear me?" She yelled, spitting out the label Sasuke had given Itachi with anger.

Sasuke gulped when Itachi, himself, appeared behind Sakura, catching her wrist as she had thrown up her wrist in anger, not knowing that the target of her anger was directly in the back of her. She spun her head around, her eyes turning livid at the sight of him, the very bane of her existence. "Nice company you keep, Otouto. I wonder what our mother would think, if she knew you had association with such a violent, cursing kunoichi?" He observed fluidly, smirk turning absolutely devious when Sakura ripped her wrist from his hold, stepping away from her in discomfort.

Sasuke, however, replied with easy self-assurance. "You already know that Okaa-san loves Sakura. Besides, I'm sure she would agree with me that at least _I _have friends."

Itachi was not deterred by this. "Yes, I suppose you do have friends, Otouto. The quality of friends you chose, however, is questionable, and whatever fondness Okaa-san has for Haruno could easily be redirected, as it is only founded on the fact she never had a daughter of her own."

Both Naruto and Sakura cried in outrage at his statement, but Sasuke only added fuel to the flame. "Meanwhile, Otou-san is busy looking for your bride. I wonder, Aniki, will she be as _beautiful _as your last possible wife?" He sneered.

A heavy silence settled after this comment, as Itachi hardly had anything to say in response to this accusation. It was true that he had not done anything yet to solve the issue with his father, and predictable enough if he had gone on another hunt for an appropriate bride, but it was still nothing that Itachi wanted to hear. He grit his teeth in annoyance.

Neither did he want Sasuke bringing up the forbidden subject in front of his _friends. _He found it rather personal, and his younger brother should have known better. He would have to get back at Sasuke later. Hating to think he had been defeated by the likes of his own brother, Itachi's arm jolted forward, two fingers striking Sasuke's forehead with a resoundingthump. "Don't get a swollen head, foolish Otouto," Itachi muttered.

Then he was gone with the wind, nothing left to even indicate his being there.

As much as Sakura disliked the very sight of him, she still could not help feeling bad for Itachi, if Sasuke had been telling the truth. No one, even him, deserved to have the right to marry who he wished taken away by his clan. She would not have stood for it, if she had been born into an insufferable clan like he had. Of course, this did not change anything. She was sympathetic, but even if she wanted to show her compassion, which she did not, Sakura doubted he would appreciate it.

Feeling awkward with the stifling silence, Naruto spoke. "So, who's up for some Ichiraku ramen?" He asked. The absolute refusal in both Sasuke and Sakura's eyes were clear as soon as they turned onto him.

"Sorry, Naruto," Sakura started gently, much more calm now that Itachi had left, "But I have to-

"Go see your parents," Sasuke finished for her with a dry tone. "And my mother won't be pleased if I chose Ichiraku over her cooking again." He added in his defense.

Sakura swore that the blond shinobi physically deflated with disappointed. "Fine, then, I guess I'll have to go all alone, and eat by myself, while everyone else is having a wonderful time with their families..." He drifted off, hoping to change their minds. Sakura felt for him, and was tempted to invite him over to her parent's home. Naruto would not get his daily dosage of ramen, but at least he would not have to be alone.

Sasuke, however snorted at the very thought of it. "That's what your girlfriend's for, dobe. Go out with her, if you really want ramen."

Sakura paused in place at the very news of this. Realizing that Sakura had not continued walking with them, both males turned back to look at her. Naruto scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Don't be jealous, Sakura-chan," he started carefully, "I mean, I still really like you as a friend, but you're just not my type, and she's too cute, so I asked her out, and-

Sakura laughed, shaking her head. "Naruto, I don't care if you do have a girlfriend, I just want to know who she is."

Sasuke rolled his eyes when Naruto turned pink. "Well, Hinata-chan was at the grocery store when I went to pick up some instant ramen, and I started talking to her, so I ended up walking her home. She's really shy, but the way she blushes whenever I talk is just so cute, so I asked her out."

Sakura sighed with relief. "Thank god, you finally figured it out. I thought you would never ask Hinata out. She's liked you since forever, you know." Sakura grinned, catching up and linking arms with both shinobi. "So, Sasuke, when are you going to get yourself a girlfriend?" She teased.

"Not interested. Once the clan starts to bug me, then I'll look around. That won't be for a while though, since they're too busy trying to force Itachi into marrying."

Sakura shook her head, smiling. They were both so predictable. "So, since you guys both have your plans, maybe I'll get myself a boyfriend." Just as she had expected them to, both males stiffened at the very thought. She sighed, shaking her head again. "Fine then, but when I grow to be an old, cat lady who never felt true love, I'm blaming both of you."

They grumbled back, letting her continue home on her own, since Naruto had caught sight of Hinata, and Sasuke wanted to get home for dinner on time, for once. She walked through the calm, civilian area her parents resided in, stepping up the front steps of a small, white house, where she had grown up. Already, she could smell her mother's cooking, even before she had the chance to open the door.

"Tadaima!" Sakura called cheerfully, taking off her boots at the door and stepping inside. Her father was sitting in the living room, a newspaper spread out in front of him. He looked up, however, at the sight of his only daughter, and her mother poked her head out from her spot in the kitchen.

They smiled brightly back at her. "Okaerinasai," they answered, her father standing up and mother leaving the kitchen to greet her with the usual hug. She hugged them back, expressing her sorrow for being gone so long, and apologizing for not warning ahead of time that she had been assigned a mission.

Everything put itself into place, just as it always did whenever Sakura returned home to her parents. Her mother sent her upstairs to take a shower and change, while her father returned to his paper with a smile on his face that had not been there before. She would go to her old room again, where her parents had yet to change a thing. Eventually, though, her mother was going to ask her to change it around, so she could redecorate it as the baby's room.

Sakura drew a bath, going into her room for a moment to retrieve a robe. Sighing, her eyes glazed over the line of books she had yet to move to her new apartment. She had a near complete library of medical text between what she had at her parent's home, and her apartment. Something caught her eye, though, towards the end of her books. Chuckling to herself, she took the old journal she had kept as a genin, and ran her fingers over the hard, flowery cover.

Taking it with her, she returned to the bathroom, easing herself into the water with a satisfied moan. She quickly fingered through the pastel, pink pages of the journal her mother had bought in an attempt to preserve her femininity. Sakura supposed her mother had reason to be concerned, at least at the time, since she had been constantly surrounded by boys. In her opinion, it was hard to lose any sort of her womanly qualities, considering she had pink hair.

She paused when reaching a page flamboyantly covered with little hearts, scanning its contents with amusement. It had been written when she had still had that repulsive infatuation with Sasuke, and had been too love stricken to do much of anything. She could only be thankful she had grown out of that stage, and matured some.

Now that she thought of it though, she had not felt like that for any male since being a genin of thirteen, even if she was now a fully grown woman, and was old enough for more adult relationships. Sure, she had that short liaison with Hyuga Neji when she had been fifteen, before they both decided they did not fit together well. Then she had kissed Sasuke once when she was sixteen out of curiosity, but they both resolved _never _to do that again, because it had felt like incest.

Besides that, her love life had been as barren as the desert surrounding Suna. It was somewhat pathetic, when she considered how many relationships Ino had flitted in and out of in the same amount of time. Even Hinata had finally gotten the attention of the boy she loved, and Naruto was undeniably happy with his new girlfriend. Where was she in all this mess?

Growling to herself, she tossed the journal to the side, and dunked her head underwater, trying to clear her head. She did _not _need a man to be happy, no matter what anyone said. Of course, the thought of ending up like Tsunade, alone and bitter, and only able to make it through the day with a bottle of sake in her hand was not very pleasing either. That was different though, she told herself. Tsunade had lost her lover, and that had ruined her; it was not that she never had a relationship.

Sakura appeared from the bathroom, much more distressed than when she had entered. She did not want to worry her parents though, so she quickly slid on that mask she always wore when upset by something. She was lucky they were not shinobi, or they would have been able to tell in an instant. Sakura never had been the best person at hiding her emotions.

* * *

Itachi did not enter the house through the front door, instead sneaking into his room through the upstairs window. He wanted to avoid his father for the moment, not wishing to hear more about the next woman he intended to arrange him with in marriage. Perhaps his mother was right, and that it was time he did something about his current, single status.

She would not be happy, though, when she heard about what had happened on the mission. His mother had instructed him to become friends with Haruno Sakura, and he had instead waged war with the testy female. This was only half his fault, naturally, since she had been the one to start most of their heated arguments, but he was not blameless, and he knew it.

He could always tell her that he would apologize, but Itachi had the feeling that would not make up for his failure. He really did have to make some sort of progress, if he was going to get his father, and the rest of the Uchiha elders, off his back about marrying. He found no need to get a woman to have some sort of satisfaction with his life. Itachi was a successful shinobi no matter what he did, and until that changed, he was not going to give it up.

Despite whatever his mother said on the matter, Konoha still needed him.

Slightly unsettled by everything, Itachi crossed the hall stealthily, taking the bathroom. Locking the door so he could have some privacy, he switched on the faucet for a shower, feeling grungy in his uniform.

The hot water felt good against his bare back, melting away the strain of his tensed back muscles, and washing away the grime of traveling home fro Kusa. It had felt like the longest journey he had ever made, even if it had only taken three days to reach Konoha. Suddenly wearied by the very thought of his traveling with Sakura back home, he ran a steady hand through wet, raven hair, pulling it back and out of his eyes. Maybe his mother was right.

He needed a break more than anything else.

Scrubbing his skin raw to get the dirt and sticky sweat from his body, he cleansed himself dutifully, before standing under the consistent fall of water on his shoulders for a few more minutes. With his muscles completely relaxed with the aid of hot water, he switched off the tap, then wrapping a towel about his hips.

He could not remember the last time he had refused a mission, but for all he knew, it was high time he did. Itachi would not be of much use to his village if he killed himself, and he knew this.

Just in time, his stomach rumbled greedily.

* * *

A/N: Oh, yay! Yet another update. I must warn you though, those of you who are going to be expecting chapters to get out this fast from here on out. The only reason I've been able to do this is because of that beautiful thing called spring break. Unfortunately, duty calls, and I'll have to go back to school on Monday. Dammit!

Oh, well. I am really happy with how many of you have been dropping me reviews, and telling me to freaking eat already. I found that sorta funny... oh yeah... I haven't eaten yet today either. Maybe I should go do that...

While I go to that vegan restaurant I've been planning to check out, please leave me more reviews! They taste much better than food! :D

(And before you ask, yes, I am vegan. It's not as bad as you flesh-eaters think. Lol.)


	6. Hammering In My Chest

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

I'll be watching, waiting, dreadful, shaking.

Will the storm pass over us today, will lighting strike our sins away?

* * *

In the month since her dreadful mission with Itachi and Shikamaru, she had settled back into her life with ease. Sakura was glad to take herself off the mission roster for the first few weeks, and then take up her place at the hospital once she had come home. Fall was usually an extremely busy time in their clinic, especially with the first cases of influenza drifting amongst the civilians, and everyone else dropping in to get their immunizations.

Somehow, Sakura had managed to completely avoid Itachi in that time, while spending as much time as she could with Naruto and Sasuke. Even they were preoccupied though, whether it be clan business, or the need to spend more time with Hinata. It had been a long time since she had been staying in the hospital full time, but she was unbothered by it.

She had become a medic for a reason, after all. Sakura loved helping others when she could, and as head medic of Konoha Hospital, she was finally given some sort of respect, and had a superiority that she still rarely experienced. Even as a kunoichi, when compared to what Naruto and Sasuke were capable of, she still ended up falling short in some ways. She was formidable to be sure, but they were on a level she sometimes felt she could hardly compete with.

Naturally, though, she was more than capable to keep her idiotic teammates in line by means of intimidation. Really, she had much more violent tendencies than they did, which was a strange contradiction with her genteel, healing demeanor that she showed more often than not. Even if they could have swept the floor with her if they tried, Sakura knew they were much too terrified of her fearsome temper to dare try.

So, life was simple and uncomplicated for her, just as she liked it. Until some brainless ANBU captain thought it necessary to request her presence on a highly classified, highly dangerous mission as a team medic. Though when Tsunade had summoned her to the Hokage Tower, she had not told her _which _ANBU captain had applied for her assistance on their upcoming mission, she had an uncomfortable pit in her stomach that told her she knew the answer without asking.

The very thought that she would have to go on another mission with Uchiha Itachi, if her suspicions were accurate, was less than satisfactory. It would not be like it had last time, there was no questioning that. In front of his ANBU team, he would not allow her to doubt his authority, because he was the _big, strong captain. _No one dared cross the Uchiha, and it would certainly lower his dignity if she did, even if his team consisted of Shisui and Genma. He was scarily professional, and on duty, his team was no different, from what she had heard.

Perhaps it would not be so bad, if he did not attempt to rile her nerves left and right, because that would surely look strange in front of the other members of ANBU Team One, coming from their ever emotionless, phlegmatic captain. If he could restrain himself from pestering her, she would feel no real reason to be constantly defending herself, and there would be no problem at all.

Needless to say, if he _did _try to irritate her, she would lash out at him with no abandon, whether his teammates witnessed it or not. They both were well aware of how she could be when provoked, and if it did happen, Sakura had the feeling they would not be too surprised by it.

Besides, going on a mission with an ANBU team as infamous as theirs would be great for experience, and she would just love to see the looks on Naruto and Sasuke's faces, once they heard that she had been the first to go on a mission with an ANBU team like Team One. Sasuke would have been furious, to think that his own brother had chosen to bring his own teammate on a mission over him, even if he was not a qualified medic-nin, which was the entire premise of her going on the mission to begin with.

Naruto would simply have a fit, if he knew. As lovable as Naruto was, he was too overprotective, always trying to be sure that no man, worthy or not, even dared speak to her, even if it was simply the most chaste of friendships. Even those within the rookie nine were under his suspicion, and had to be watched carefully. In Sakura's opinion, it was utterly ridiculous.

Even if she did tell him that she was perfectly able to take care of herself, the idea of her having a relationship with a male that was not strictly platonic would send him through a reel, and there would be no peace until he was damn certain nothing was up. Sasuke was overbearing at times as well, but he at least allowed her to speak with other males, and seemed to comprehend that someday, she would meet someone that she was completely enamored with.

Of course, he was aware that she was no little girl, after that downright awkward kiss they had shared when they were younger. Sakura was just glad that he was sensible enough to not mention this occurrence to Naruto, because he would have blown a casket, if he knew. She had no feelings for Sasuke that ventured beyond friendship and those of comrades, and Sakura was sure he felt no different from her, but that would not matter in Naruto's point of view, even if it had been years ago, when they had been stupid, curious kids.

It was probably best that she did not tell her silly teammates that she was likely to be going on another mission with Itachi, because they would both take it that she _had _formed some sort of strange friendship with the enigma known as Uchiha Itachi. She still had no idea if she really was to be going on another mission with him, but the fact that this captain, whoever he was, demanded she not be told which team she was going to be working with, just reeked of Itachi.

If she had any inkling of the fact she would be spending any amount of time with him, necessary or no, the chances of her throwing caution to the wind and finding a place to hide in some obscure, distant country that no one had ever heard of before must have appeared high. While this did sound slightly tempting to her, that would be like surrendering to him, and that was not something she was going to do, unless it meant going down in a fight.

* * *

Usually, Itachi would not have bothered with a medic on his missions. His chakra was honed well enough that he could perform basic medical jutsu, which would get his team by just fine. It was rare when anyone was injured badly enough to require the healing of a qualified medic-nin, and even then, they always managed to get the attention needed.

There were no medic-nin in ANBU, which was reason enough to never request one, but that was not the real reason he had asked for the presence of Haruno Sakura as a temporary member of his team. No, he had an alternate motive for it, and it all went down to being Sasuke's fault.

If his bratty brother had not mentioned how much Sakura had grown to hate him on their last mission together, he would not have needed to vindicate this mistake by trying again. When forced to come down to the dinner table upon his return to Konoha, his mother had gently asked if he had done what she had asked, and at least attempted to forge a friendship with his female comrade.

He supposed, in hindsight, that he should not have lied to his mother, but he had smoothly replied that the mission had been successful, and that he and Sakura were much more familiar with each other than before, and that he had done his best to become friends with her. The annoying, little pest that he was, Sasuke had snorted, clearly disagreeing.

_As if, aniki. Sakura hates your guts with a burning passion. If she even knew you said that, she would kick your ass into next week._

That was what his irksome, younger brother had told him, right in front of his mother, much to his chagrin. He had had half the mind to reach across the table and smack him upside the head for his unwanted comment. His mother would have just been ten times more disappointed with him though, so he settled for giving Sasuke a deathly glare instead.

Sasuke had seemed to radiate with sickening satisfaction, as he assumed he had gained some sort of upper hand on him. Of course, this was not the case, because as much as Sasuke was capable of getting him in trouble with his mother, he had also just done him a favor. His mother had sighed, shaking her head with shame. As much as she had not appreciate her youngest son swearing, and at the dinner table of all places, she was slightly glad, and Itachi had been able to tell.

So, his mother had carefully asked if he had at least _tried _to interact with the kunoichi, to which Sasuke had scoffed when he had ruefully nodded his head. Knowing this, she had then ordered him to ask for her to be the medic on the next ANBU mission that she would have low chances of dying in, hoping that this would be a chance to clean up the disagreements between them.

Honestly, Itachi was wondering why his mother liked Sakura so much, and how his gaining a semblance of a friendship with the kunoichi was at all relevant. His mother was fearsome when she wanted to be, and was able to keep his father in line in most cases, and there was a reason for this.

In an attempt to pacify both his mother and father, because the fact he would go out of his way to interact at all with a female looked good as far as he was concerned, he had gone to Tsunade, and requested that she loosen Sakura from her duties at the hospital for his most recent mission. So, she would be accompanying him and his team into Bird to investigate a certain group of nuke-nin that had gained control over a their capitol city.

Since Bird country had no shinobi villages, and the countries surrounding it were hardly better off then them, they had finally called out to Konoha for assistance. It would not be a particularly difficult mission, since Itachi suspected that the group of guerillas with no more power than a chunin or jonin. For three ANBU operatives, and a jonin of her status, it should go seamlessly.

However, with his experience, Itachi knew it was unwise to enter any village or predicament unprepared for the worst, so it was a good idea to bring Sakura either way, because her skills as a medic could prove useful in assisting heal those who had been injured by the unnamed organization terrorizing Bird's epicenter, literally caging its citizens.

So, he had taken his mother's warning to heart. _Keep Sakura-chan safe, and don't get yourself hurt. I don't want her to have to be worried over you._

As much as the kunoichi annoyed him like no one else could, he did not want her dead. He supposed she was not _so _bad of a person, and a lot of the villagers in Konoha would be heartbroken if she returned in a state less than satisfactory, especially under his watch. That aside, Itachi did not let anyone die on his team, whether they were temporary, or not, because it reflected poorly on him, and he would not allow someone be lost, not when they were with him.

At the same time, he could not see Sakura ever being concerned for him, even if he did somehow get hurt by enemy nin. He imagined it more likely that she would callously patch him up and send him back on his way. The chances of her genuinely caring about his well being were as certain as her running away at first sign of him asking her aid on a mission, even if she was required.

He hardly knew what he had done to her to begin with, besides be realistic. She was childish and oblivious, and had no idea how it worked in the real world. Perhaps because of the issues he had faced in his own team, Kakashi had shielded his genin team a little too much, and he could not completely blame him, because she had progressed as a shinobi, while maintaining a certain innocence that he had lost long ago.

He saw it in his brother as well, that reluctance to kill, and the guilt that came with it was much stronger in him than anyone else he could think of. Every shinobi, at some point in their career, had to face the monster in their closet, to accept the fact that they were murderers. It was ignorant to think that a shinobi was anything besides that, but at the same time, he wished he had remained in the dark, never realizing just what he _was. _

While the very thought of protecting Sakura was repulsive, and the thought that she had that one thing he coveted, to be blissfully unaware, made things no better. He wished he had remained so pure after so many years of being a killer, and maybe that was what annoyed him so much about her. He was the epitome of imperfection, while she was still clean, and had never bathed in blood, as he had.

It could not be helped, he supposed, that she would be so irksome, when she was all that he wished he could be.

Sighing, Itachi ran a hand over his face, giving up on the thought of sleeping. He would be leaving in the morning for his mission with Team One and Sakura, but rest eluded him almost cruelly, avoiding him like the plague, so he was left all night to contemplate over his pathetic life. It was inevitable that he got up in submission, casting aside his sheets and tugging on a pair of sweatpants to wear over his boxer shorts.

He knew defeat when he faced it head on. It was a clear night after all, and while Konoha was cooling down with the oncoming winter, it still was not nearly cold enough for him to be deterred from his favorite midnight spot. He had a habit, one he had kept since his years as a child, to lounge on the rooftop of his home whenever sleep evaded him. He would gaze up at the starry sky and wonder what he was doing there, on earth, while waiting for sleep to take him.

Itachi had not been up on the slatted roof in quite some time, so when he made a swooping, agile leap onto the top of his house, he was stunned to see that someone else had already taken his favored spot, and was regarding the sky with silent appreciation. Messy, pink hair stood on end when Sakura realized she was no longer alone.

"Must I remind you, Haruno, that trespassing is illegal, and with nearly every Uchiha in the vicinity being a member of Konoha's Police Force, I could easily have you escorted elsewhere?" He asked, slumping down on the roof next to her. He could tell his presence made her uncomfortable, just by the rigid way she held herself, but since this was _his _house, she had no right to complain for his sudden appearance.

She scooted an inch to the side, not liking the invasion of her personal space. Itachi lifted an eyebrow doubtfully, eyes catching the sheets she had wrapped around herself to brace the crisp, night air. She had probably taken them from Sasuke's room, which was located directly next to his.

"For once, Uchiha, can you not do this?" She whispered back, arms tightening about herself. "I'll bicker and fight with you all tomorrow, if that's what you want, but I'm too tired to deal with it right now."

He did not dignify her subtle accusation with a response. He should have told her to go away, and return to her own bed, if she was really so tired, but when she had such a peaceful, tranquil expression on her face, he had a hard time doing that. Itachi had never seen her so calm, and it felt heartless to turn her away, when she was doing him no harm.

Of course, that urge to defend himself when she had practically claimed he enjoyed their arguments was difficult to ignore, but he forced himself to not bother the sedate kunoichi in her rare show of composure. As the silence dragged on, he noticed her shoulders slacken despite his being there, and relaxed as well. His mind drifted away from him, the crescent moon above their heads beckoning his attention.

The moon had been full on that night, when he had been ordered to slay his own family. It would have lit the streets for him, as he rained down the blood of his clan, should he have followed Danzo's command. The memory of what had come close to happening to him for the sake of Konoha weighed heavily on his mind still sometimes, and in this case, it made him feel more weary than he already had.

He glanced at the kunoichi beside him for a split second, before gazing back up at the moon. Itachi rarely entertained such thoughts, but he could not help wondering what this little woman would think of him, should he had not gone to Sandaime, and begged for assistance. If Sandaime had not negotiated with the Uchiha clan, he would have had to complete that crooked, covert mission, no matter how he felt on the matter. He would have been a criminal, ranked worse than even Orochimaru.

Sasuke would have hated him with such intensity, that it would kill him from the inside out, because if he _had _committed that murderous crime, as Danzo had wanted him to, he still would not have been able to kill his younger brother. Itachi would have been exiled, and hunted down by the very people he had sought to protect. If he had not committed suicide, then Sasuke surely would have killed him.

This girl, who, though he knew disliked him to a certain extent, would have grown up, being taught to be terrified of a pacifist like him. That anger she so boldly, in a manner no one else had the courage to show him, would be non existent, and she would have probably been too terrified to so much as speak to him, let alone meet his eye. The very thought was disturbing to him, for reasons he could hardly comprehend.

Somehow, he had been able to save both his village and clan, he told himself. It was unhealthy for him to brood on such a morbid subject, and he should not allow himself to do so. It had been years since then, and Danzo had been hidden underground because of it, not daring to bare his head in shame. No one besides himself, the village elders, and a small portion of the Uchiha clan that had known about the coup d'état had any idea that he had almost massacred the entire family for the sake of Konoha.

It would stay that way too, he hoped, because he did not want to be feared any more than he already was. Even if it was not his fault, and he had done everything in his power to prevent it from happening, no one would bother to consider that, should anyone learn about that mission.

Unbeknownst to the musing Uchiha, the kunoichi besides him was silently observing him. She frowned for a second, wondering why he would ever go outside in the dead of night without a shirt on, since it was so chilly out. Sakura had always known that he was insane though, so this should not have been so shocking. He was an Uchiha, after all, and for the most part, disregarded his own health.

"Your brother invited me over." Sakura finally said, breaking him from his reflections and explaining why she was there. "Naruto ended up tagging along, when he heard that there would be some of Mikoto-san's leftovers. The two idiots broke out the sake, knowing I wouldn't be able to drink anything because of tomorrow's mission. They passed out a few hours ago."

Itachi quietly processed this, crossing his legs, and propping his arms up behind him, hands flat against the rooftop. "I am going to safely assume that my foolish Otouto wished to warn you that I am captain of the team you will journeying with on tomorrow's mission." He replied calmly, turning back to the dark sky. She huffed in exasperation, not denying his statement.

When she did answer, there was a broad smirk on her face. "I already figured it was your team, Uchiha, when Tsunade told me she couldn't say who I had requested my presence on their mission. You were the only one who would have made such a ridiculous demand." Sakura said snobbishly, feeling pretty proud of herself, for being able to predict the ANBU captain.

He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth in disapproval. "Maybe it wouldn't be like that if I could be certain you wouldn't run off to some foreign land for safety at mere mention of my name." Itachi retorted dryly.

Soft peals of bubbly, warm laughter escaped through heart-shaped, rosy lips. Taken aback, Itachi stared at the girl he had just caused to break out in giggles, not certain of what to think. He could honestly not remember when he had last made _anyone _laugh, and the thought that he was capable of making her, of all people, seemed strange to him. Perhaps it was just the onset of fatigue, making him sound humorous to her.

"How did you know my plan, Uchiha? Can you read minds too, along with all your other innate talents?" She snickered back at him. Itachi rolled his eyes, deciding to ignore her again, in the hopes she would eventually leave, and give him some peace of mind. She was not distinctly bothering him, but if given the chance, he had no doubt that she would just say something stupid and annoying.

Figuring that he was not going to reply, she sighed, grinning up at the black abyss above them. Though she felt the effects of victory for besting him, it felt childish to be congratulating herself over something so silly. All she had managed to do, when it came down to it, was irritate the man, and that was not something to be proud of. She really did have to stop attempting to bug the male, if he was ever going to stop getting under her skin.

Sakura did not like the notion of raising her white flag first, but if it meant they would not be constantly at each other's throats, perhaps it would be worth it.

"So, Uchiha, why did you want me on your team for this mission, after what happened last time?" Sakura asked carefully, not really turning to look at him. Itachi's eyes shifted to glaze over her, and he could tell she felt uncomfortable again. This was a problem he always seemed to face, because no matter who he was talking to, and how gentle he was, he always seemed to invoke fear into people, or simply make them feel out of place.

He inwardly wilted at the thought, more disappointed with himself than the kunoichi. Moving the raven hair from his pale face, he replied. "You are a qualified medic-nin, and I have no doubt such skills in medicine will be useful. Most medic-nin are chunin, and do not have enough experience in the field, or are trained just for the purpose of working in the hospital. You, however, have high levels of taijutsu, after training with Tsunade-sama, and would be advantageous to have on a mission."

Sakura was surprised by his praise, though knowing that everything he had said was because of practicality. He had only said it because he knew it was true, and not because he wanted to pay her a compliment. To be sure, she wished he had only said it out of the goodness of his own heart, and not because he wanted to use her skills on the upcoming mission. Well, on the bright side, she supposed she should be glad he had not told her that he only requested her for the mission so he could have another opportunity to annoy her.

"Careful, Uchiha, or that might sound like a compliment." She replied lightly.

"It _was _a compliment, whether you appreciate it or not. I do not say things I do not mean." He answered quietly. He sighed, however, continuing. "The main reason I wanted you on this mission, however, was not because of your prowess as a kunoichi."

Sakura honestly had no idea how she was supposed to take that. Bewildered, and unable to keep her face from heating up at his intense stare, she had to wonder what he really meant. She gaped back at him, sincerely hoping that he was not implying what she was assuming he was. It was not possible, she told herself, but the way he had said that, she got the strange impression that he was attracted to her.

"My mother caught wind of what had happened during our mission to Kusa, no thanks to my foolish Otouto, and she ordered I mend the association between us. I had no choice but to ask Tsunade to put you on my team temporarily." He carried on, unsure of how he should take her mortified, and over all, disturbed expression. Itachi did not care to know what she had been thinking, when he had said that.

When she drooped with relief, pressing her heart with her hand to calm herself, he decided it was best to not understand what was going through that mind of hers. She laughed softly for a second, at the very thought. "Sasuke was right," she tittered, catching his bemused expression, before going on to say, "You really are a momma's boy, Uchiha."

Slowly, he exhaled, summoning what self-control he had left. He was more angry with Sasuke this time, for telling his team about his personal life, but then again, this should not have been so shocking.

Nothing was left to be said, and eventually, her laughter died down. Itachi supposed he did not mind her at all, when she decided to be quiet, because this was not nearly as bad as he had thought it would be, spending such a long amount of time with the volatile female. She was a far cry from being good company, but he could live with this.

He was not at all perturbed by her being there, until the soft weight of her head fell to his shoulder. His muscles tensed at the unwanted contact, and Itachi had been about to berate her for leaning on him, until he had realized the girl had fallen asleep, and had not purposefully rested against him. He let a long breath of air out of his nose, his indignation abundant.

It was no shock that she had fallen asleep, since, based on his clearly honed instincts, that it was somewhere around two in the morning. Her breath, warm and light on his skin, sent shudders he did not care to define down his spine. The occurrence of that evening felt so unusual altogether, and he could only place it on their joint weariness, which had eventually lulled her into sleep.

Surmising it was time he, too, turned in, he tenderly lifted the comatose kunoichi, and cautiously slid down to the floor below, where he quietly opened Sasuke's window, and eased himself into the messy room. Disgruntled by his own brother's slovenly ways, he shuffled over to the bed, where both Naruto and Sasuke had drunkenly passed out a few hours previous, before placing the small female down in the space between them.

This entire event had reminded him very much of when Sasuke was a child, and used to fall asleep in the living area. He would always end up carrying the boy up to bed, just how he just had with Sakura. Itachi turned to leave, with every intention to return to his own bed, when a quiet voice called out to him.

"Aniki."

"Otouto," he acknowledged, looking briefly back at his younger brother, who had sat up in the presence of his elder sibling. Sasuke was gazing up at him through dark, tired eyes, almost questioning what he had been doing with his kunoichi teammate, but Itachi felt no reason to give him an answer. If Sasuke really wanted to know, then he would simply just have to ask Sakura.

"Sakura is much more fragile than she looks." He finally said, perplexing Itachi. He was not certain of what Sasuke was implying, but he could safely promise he never intended to cause the kunoichi any real harm, no matter how often she drove him nearly mad. Surely his brother did not think anything had happened, that he had tried to injure the kunoichi; Sasuke should have known him better than that.

Itachi did not grace his brother with a proper response to his statement. "Go back to sleep, Sasuke," he ordered instead.

"I'm serious, Itachi. Don't break her, so that she's left in pieces, and unable to put herself back together again. Naruto and I both would have to kick your sorry ass, if you did." Sasuke persisted. Itachi was surprised to see that his brother was very much serious. He and his younger brother were constantly at odds, but it was simply sibling rivalry, and neither had ever taken it very far. On rare occasions, they would trade blows, but even then, it was never anything too severe.

Itachi lifted his eyebrow at his brother's threat. "You care for Haruno much more than I thought. Is there more to your relationship than perceived?"

Much to his amusement, Sasuke grimaced at the very implication of being Sakura's significant other. "Hardly," he shivered in disgust. "Sakura is a lot like a sister to me and Naruto, and if there's any chance that someone will hurt her, we won't allow it. Even if that person happens to be you, Aniki."

Again, Itachi turned to go back to his own room. "Go back to sleep," he repeated, before leaving.

Itachi crossed the hall and entered his bedroom, making a beeline to his bed. This time, it was much easier to fall asleep.

* * *

Sakura was puzzled to find herself squeezed between Sasuke and Naruto on the bed when she woke up, not remembering having gone back into Sasuke's room, after sitting on the roof with Itachi. With horror, she realized that she must have fallen asleep on the roof, and Itachi must have brought her back down. This was just beyond embarrassing, she decided, sitting up in the middle of the two snoring boys.

Shaking her head at the troubling thought of what Itachi must have thought of her, falling asleep outside, in the middle of the night, and on his roof, no less, Sakura crept out from under the sheets she had a hard time the cold Uchiha covering the three of them with. Rolling her eyes when they did not so much as stir at her movement, despite being trained, able shinobi, Sakura left the room in a hurry. By the early morning sun, she was safe to presume it was some time around seven, and Itachi's ANBU team would be leaving for the mission in approximately two hours.

Rushing down the stairs so quickly that she almost stumbled, Sakura made her way through the lower floor of the Uchiha household without much difficulty. She saw nothing of the family, until she staggered into the kitchen, finding Mikoto at the stove like the dutiful Uchiha wife she was, and Itachi sitting calmly at the traditional, lowered table.

She tried to ignore the panic that rose in her throat when he looked up at her from the mug of tea sitting in front of him, his piercing, endless, ebony eyes locking on hers with a force that made her take a step back. Sakura could not stop herself from flushing under his intense gaze, before she bowed to the two Uchiha respectfully, more to hide her red cheeks than to pay them any courtesy, least of all Itachi.

"Sakura-chan, there is no need for you to be so formal," Mikoto laughed gently, "It's only us, right Itachi-chan?" she reassured her, approaching the young woman to give a warm hug. All the while, Itachi observed them, that potent gleam in his eye never disappearing. Sakura tried not to stare back at him from over his mother's shoulders.

"I apologize for intruding," Sakura said awkwardly, though never taking her eyes off the ever silent Itachi. "Sasuke invited me over last night, and I'm afraid between him, myself, and Naruto, we cleared out your refrigerator."

Mikoto waved it off with good nature. "I love it when you and Naruto-kun come to visit, so it's no problem. I'm thankful Sasuke-chan has such good friends to keep an eye on him." She said wisely, returning to the stovetop, in fear that her eggs may burn. Sakura had to remind herself of what Itachi had told her last night. For reasons beyond her, because it seemed strange that Mikoto would care if she and her eldest son where not on the best of terms, this woman had made sure that she go with Itachi on the mission ahead.

It was impossible to imagine that Mikoto could be up to something.

"Thank you, Mikoto-san, for allowing us to trespass on your hospitality once again." Sakura answered, moving strands of pink hair from her face.

"Oh, you can't be leaving now, Sakura-chan!" Mikoto exclaimed. "You haven't eaten anything for breakfast yet, and I can't let you go out on a mission on an empty stomach." She reasoned.

Sakura, however, had to decline. "I'm afraid I can't stay any longer. I still need to pack up for the mission, and I wanted to give my Okaa-san one, last checkup before I depart." She made her way toward the exit, before adding thoughtfully, "I'll see you at the gates, Uchiha Taichou."

With that, the kunoichi was gone to prepare herself. Belatedly, Itachi wondered if Sakura would bother with making him a bento this time around.

* * *

A/N: yay, another chapter! Yay, I'm going to be officially an adult in two days! Yay, I'm about to have some miso soup!

Thank you so much for the reviews! Your opinions and comments are much appreciated!


	7. Blood On My Hands

Disclaimer: Sadly, I still don't own Naruto.

* * *

Face to face, the congregation of the damned.

Face to face, we're all screaming while we can.

* * *

Fear gripped the kunoichi as another burst of fire and stone exploded somewhere behind her, a loud, disturbed cackle following after it when its perpetrator swooped down to drop another explosive. She clutched the bundle in her arms even tighter as the explosion hit, blowing debris over her head and all around. Slightly frantic about her situation, she glanced at her captain for a moment, before gently hushing the wailing infant in her arms.

The child could not be quieted though, and amongst the chaos, she could not think of much she could to do soothe him. His mother was nowhere to be found, and she was not capable of standing in her place. Sakura had found the child while evading that insane nuke-nin's clay bomb. He had been bundled in a light, butter-yellow fleece blanket, crying from where he had been abandoned on the ground.

She had no doubt that his mother, whoever she was, had not left her child intentionally, and was likely to be unable to find the infant, or was no longer alive. When she had accepted this mission, this was not what she had been expecting. Sakura sent another worried look to Itachi, who had leapt up towards their cloaked attacker, who was hovering above their heads on what appeared to be a large, clay bird.

When Itachi had first described the mission fully to the team, he had stated his belief that their opponents were probably no better than chunin or jonin, and Sakura had felt confident against that. They had smoothly traveled for four days to Bird, before camping just outside the town that had been taken over by some unknown organization. Itachi had even eaten the bento she had made for him, without fussing at all.

Yes, things had certainly been looking up for her. There were very few arguments with Itachi, even if she felt agitated around him after that strange encounter on his roof. He did not mention it though, much to her consolation, and they were finally acting like mature adults. She was under the impression that his team had something to have to do with it, since they hardly knew that Itachi was capable of showing any sort of emotion, and kept him in line.

Nothing had felt out of the ordinary until they reached Bird, and Sakura had recognized someone in their quick surveillance of the area. Donning a black cloak with crimson, red clouds was Yakushi Kabuto, whom she had once met in the chunin exams. He had later been revealed to be one of Orochimaru's spies within Konoha. By the time he was recognized as one of his accomplices, Orochimaru was already dead, and Kabuto had been long gone.

Words could not begin to describe her astonishment when she found out that the kind, gentle medic-nin that had helped her team get to the tower in the second test of the chunin exams was really only trying to destroy her village. Seeing his familiar face again, and in such a different context, caused the kunoichi to relive this shock in such a force, she had not been prepared for it.

Now Shisui and Genma was off to dispose of the nuke-nin, while she and Itachi were handling their other enemy, who appeared to have once belonged to Iwa. Rather, Itachi was fighting the crazed pyrotechnist, attempting to get close enough to him to catch his gaze in the Sharingan, while she was busy taking the hit of every bomb that was dropped on her to save the little boy in her arms.

Finally, however, her captain snapped as the blond nuke-nin rose up in the air again. He did not like how the battle was going, and she understood that, but that gave him no excuse to blow up at her like he had.

He flickered towards her, roughly taking her shoulders and looking her square in the eyes, Sharingan spinning in fury. "Listen to me, Haruno. Now is not the time to be playing wet nurse with some child you just picked up off the street. You are a full-fledged kunoichi of Konoha, and you need to do your duty." He growled, gloved fingers tightening around her arms.

"I am doing my duty!" She retorted. "If you haven't forgotten, I am a medic-nin, and it is my job, before all else, to help injured and helpless people. This infant has no one to protect him, and automatically, has become my responsibility!" Sakura cried back at him in frustration.

Itachi could not believe she had chosen _now, _of all times, to question his authority. He could have her position as a jonin taken away from her for this, or have her restricted to only work in the hospital. Defiance was not something he took lightly, least of all from members of his own team. If those of lower rank were allowed to walk all over their superiors, it could mean a breech of order, and all organization in their village could hang in the balance because of it.

"There are more unprotected civilians in this area than that infant, Haruno. I am ordering you to evacuate the town now, before that nuke-nin causes even more damage." He barked, awakening the kunoichi with surprise. She looked around them at the battlefield, buildings burnt and collapsing, and she knew he was right. "Prove to me that I was right, and that you are worthy of this mission, Haruno."

Guilty for her negligence, she bit her lip, before nodding her head, and departing. Most of the civilians in her immediate area had already disappeared in fear of the turmoil that had erupted outside their homes, but there was no telling that Itachi would be able to keep the blond nuke-nin from moving elsewhere, and causing disorder there, as well.

She moved to the greatest populace, in the center of the village, where curious, bewildered civilians had started to cautiously peek outside of their houses to figure out just what was happening. Calm and collected, she created a troupe of bushin, and moved throughout the district, warning the townspeople of the danger, and guiding them to a safer zone, to the outskirts of the their city.

She personally went into the nursing home at the very end of the neighborhood, where most of the elderly were still blissfully unaware of what was happening. Sakura produced more clones to assist them out of their beds and rocking chairs, urging them to leave their belongings in fear of running out of time. Finally, she reached the last room, still desperately trying to pacify the little boy she was holding.

Sakura had been too distracted to realize that, when she entered the room, that the person she had walked in to meet was no elder. She did not take her eyes off the child until he was lifted from her arms. Her head shot up, and she was stunned to see yet another black and red cloak, worn by a young looking nuke-nin with apathetic, brown eyes and a mane of tangled, red hair, who had used chakra strings to carry away the sobbing child.

With horror, she watched as he cradled the child in his arms, legs still crossed indifferently as he reclined in his chair. On the floor at his feet, an elderly woman lay slain, her blood pooling around her body.

"Interesting, kunoichi, that you could not sense my presence, when I was not bothering to even hide it. You really should not let yourself be distracted by such a noisy child." He murmured, his voice deeper than she had been expecting. The nuke-nin leisurely lifted his hand, caressing the bawling, baby boy's cheek with a gentleness Sakura had not suspected him capable of, before swiftly wrapping his fingers about the infant's neck, and snapping it carelessly.

"That's better now, don't you think?" He asked impassively, the room now silent.

* * *

It had not taken too long, once ordering Sakura to vacate the civilians from all surrounding areas, to defeat the blond idiot that was determined to blow the entire town up into the sky. Having the kunoichi there had been inexplicably distracting, mostly because of that promise he had made. He had to protect her to the best of his abilities; he had told his mother that she would be taken care of, and when that nuke-nin, or Deidara, as he called himself, had begun to drop explosions on her head, it had only made it more complicated for him.

He had been too busy trying to direct Deidara away from Sakura, and that only made it more difficult to get close to him to gain eye contact. He had still been a worthy opponent for Itachi, but once his hinderance had left to do her duty, he no longer had to worry if an explosive was going to land somewhere she could be hurt. Itachi already knew she probably had some minor burns, but they were nothing she could not heal.

Deidara appeared to be a sort of arrogant, self-assured individual, who had complete confidence in himself, even against shinobi who were clearly above his league. With no concern for where his clay bombs landed, and fully capable to dodge whatever the nuke-nin sent his way, Itachi finally managed to get within range of him.

Unaware of his status of Uchiha clan heir, and his abilities with the sharingan, Deidara had foolishly met his gaze, and instantly was pulled into a drugging genjutsu. He would not wake until Itachi decided it fit, and he intended to bring the nuke-nin back to Konoha for his initial interrogation. It was unusual for anyone to target such a small, powerless country like Bird, so he knew that their organization must have had an alternate motive. Once they learned what they wanted to know, Konoha would return him to his original village, and let them deal with him.

Just to be certain, in the unlikely case that Deidara somehow got free, Itachi retrieved the coil of wire he always kept handy for such situations, and bound the unconscious nuke-nin. There was no chance that the blond shinobi was going to be waking up after being dosed with such a powerful genjutsu, but Itachi had learned very early on in his career, that it was best not to ever take risks.

By the flares of chakra Shisui and Genma were releasing, Itachi could guess that they were just about finished with Yakushi Kabuto, and they would have another captive to bring home to Konoha. Pleased with the outcome of their mission so far, Itachi sought Sakura's chakra signature, pinning it down to a region closest to the center of the village. He started towards where she was, the signal getting stronger as he ran. It was only when he had entered a small, quaint neighborhood, that it became distinct enough for him to be able to tell it was fluctuating dangerously.

He picked up speed, only pausing in disbelief at the sight of what _had _been a residential building for the elderly, to find that it was absolutely obliterated, and reduced to rubble. Itachi dashed ahead at the horrible view, a sort of apprehension he was not familiar with rising in his throat like bile. He rummaged through the wreckage, searching for the kunoichi almost fruitlessly.

Itachi choked out a curse under his breath when he finally found her. She had managed to get herself up in a sitting position, propped up against one of the last, standing walls of the collapsed structure, a long katana piercing through her abdomen. Next to her lay a cloaked redhead, whose face was utterly blank. Based off the blood she was covered with, Itachi knew he was not going to have time to inspect the nuke-nin.

He crouched down, gritting his teeth in self-hatred. This never happened to his team, he was simply one that did not allow it, yet, Sakura had been nearly killed because he had not been there to save her. There was no telling what would happen if she died, because he knew his brother and Naruto would be devastated, and Sakura was only just on the edge.

Itachi had not even been sure she was still conscious until she slowly stirred, probably having sensed his chakra. With no small amount of effort, the kunoichi lifted her eyelids lethargically, the life he was so used to seeing in those green depths having become dull. She parted her lips, as if to speak, but blood spewed out of her mouth before she could. Not caring too much for delicacy, she spit out the crimson liquid.

"Taichou, please get my supply bag," she croaked. He obeyed instantly, heart beating anxiously in his chest. It was so strange for him, to see a teammate on the brink of death. It happened often in his line of work, but it had been a long time since someone on his team had been injured so grievously.

He retrieved the beige pack, sitting back down next to her. The katana still sat there through her gut, damaging her insides. She noticed where his eyes were focussing, and shook her head tiredly. "I cannot remove the katana yet. Sasori," she indicated the redhead, "uses a poison on his weapons, and if the blade is pulled out, it will flow through my bloodstream much faster."

He nodded his head in understanding, unable to say anything to her. It amazed him how calm she could be in this situation.

"Look through my bag. You should be able to find a small vial, and a syringe. That antidote will not stop the affects completely, but it should slow them, at least until we can get to Konoha." She breathed, trying to inch herself up, but finding the action too straining.

Itachi sifted through her bag, as instructed, fingers grazing cool glass. He removed the flask, inspecting the clear liquid for a moment, before taking out the hypodermic needle as well. Already knowing what to do from there, he silently punctured the lid of the flask, filling the needle, and surging the air within out through the needle to prevent an air bubble from flowing through her blood system as well.

Using his glove, he wiped the blood from her arm gently to find a vein. After having found one, he penetrated the layers of delicate skin, and expelling the antidote through her system. He waited until he had emptied the syringe completely, before pulling out the needle gently. Sakura let out a shaky sigh, closing here eyes for an exhausted moment.

"I'm going to need you to remove the katana quickly," she murmured, wearily lifting her hands to where her wound was. "I've already lost too much blood, and when it is out, I will have to immediately seal the wound with a layer of skin, because I will start bleeding profusely."

Their eyes met for a moment, and his brows knit together. She briefly nodded her head, streaming green, healing chakra into her hands. He stood, gripping the handle of the poisoned katana carefully, before tearing it out. Sakura threw her head back and cried at the searing pain, but kept a steady flow of chakra going into the wound. Itachi threw the katana to the side heedlessly, before kneeling down besides her.

Tears streaked down her pale, sweaty cheeks, quiet whimpers ripping through her throat. He knew she did not have enough chakra-not nearly enough chakra-to heal the injury completely, and though he was not technically a medic, he placed a large hand over hers. Itachi closed his eyes in concentration, summoning his own chakra and guiding it through her hands to assist her.

As the wound slowly closed, her flow of chakra began to ebb, and eventually, it halted altogether. Though her breathing was still raged, when he opened his eyes again and looked up at her face, she was clearly in a better state. She sighed, clearly fatigued, before smiling up at him softly. "I was lucky. He was aiming for a more fatal target, but I managed to get him first."

Her voice was then so faint, he had not been really sure she had said anything more at all. _"Thank you, Itachi."_

He watched as she slipped into unconsciousness, only wasting a moment to inspect her opponent. Itachi was glad to find that he was dead, and turned back to Sakura. Cautiously, he picked up her slackened form, cradling her small body in his arms before snatching up her things and disappearing with a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Sakura's eyes fluttered open, only to be blinded by a bright, electric light. She groaned, shutting them again, before letting her eyes adjust to the knew light. She glanced around herself, recognizing the hospital room as part of the emergency ward. Clearing her throat, and hating that cottony feel in her mouth, she slowly shifted, sitting up in the bed she had been given. Gagging, she methodically removed the breathing tube from her throat, and took a deep breath.

Taking a pitcher from her bedside table, she filled a cup and slowly drank the water, wondering how long she had been out. It must have been several days, because the last thing she remembered was closing up the stab wound she had gotten from Sasori, and looking up at Itachi. It was four days worth of travel home, and Sasori had proudly claimed his poison would completely kill her at the end of three, so her hypothesis had been correct, and the antidote had slowed it down long enough.

Itachi must have thought she was an idiot, for nearly dying on that mission. His injuries, if he had sustained any, had been minimal, and the only thing she had done was get herself nearly killed. She had been there in case any of the civilians had been hurt, and she could not even help them, because she had been too busy _dying_. It felt so pathetic, because in the end, nothing had changed at all. She still needed someone there to protect her, like the useless kunoichi she was.

She sniffled to herself at the thought of that infant, the baby boy who had been mercilessly murdered by Sasori, because she had been too weak to properly safeguard him. He would have grown up one day to be a man, and he would have had a wife and family, but because of her, that child never would. If it were not for her, that boy would have led a happy life.

Sakura was able to hold in her tears, thankfully, because a moment later, her mother stepped in, her father shortly after. "Oh, Sakura-chan!" She cried at seeing her lone daughter finally awake, rushing to her side.

"We were so worried, seeing you hurt like that," her mother exclaimed, hugging Sakura tightly. She winced, and her mother abruptly let her go, afraid of hurting her.

"I'm sorry, Okaa-san, Otou-san." She whispered.

Her mother shook her head, already knowing how the story went. No matter how hurt she got, Sakura was always going to go back, because she was a kunoichi, and though she wished more than anything that Sakura would give it up, she knew it was not going to happen.

"There was a man in here, earlier." Her father said suddenly, changing the subject. "Mind explaining to us who he was?" He asked.

Sakura's forehead cinched together in thought. She could not think of anyone that could have possibly come to visit her in the hospital. Her parents already knew all of Team Seven, and most of the other shinobi her age, so it could not have been one of them. Baffled, she turned back to her father.

"What man?"

Her mother giggled. That alone should have warned Sakura that she did not want to know. "He was very good looking. Tall, dark and handsome."

Sakura rolled her eyes. That was not what she had asked.

"Oh! And he told us he was Sasuke-kun's older brother!" Her mother added excitedly. That was all she needed to know.

"That was Uchiha Itachi. He was just the captain on my last mission." Sakura said drearily. How her mother got animated about the most ridiculous of things was beyond her. "He can be a real jerk sometimes, but I guess he's okay," she continued with a mutter, taking another drink from the plastic cup at her bedside table.

Her mother gasped. "Don't say things like that about him, Sakura-chan!" She scolded. "I really think that man likes you, and even if I don't usually approve of shinobi, after what Tsunade-sama told me, he can take care of my little girl. I wouldn't mind if you married him."

Startled by this, Sakura sprayed the water in her mouth all over her sheets, gaping up at her mother in disbelief. _"What?"_

Her mother was unperturbed. "Well, according to Tsunade-sama, he carried you all the way home, without taking any breaks for four days straight. Even after that, he refused to rest until you were stable. When we got here yesterday morning, after your teacher told us that you were in the hospital, he was still here. I don't think he got home until a few hours ago, when Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun came to your room and started yelling at him, and Tsunade had to kick all three of them out."

Sakura could not believe what she was hearing. There was no way that had been Itachi. This simply did not make sense to her. At the same time, however, the idea of Naruto and Sasuke picking a fight with Itachi after her almost dying on that mission did sound highly probable. They had probably blamed him for what happened, when really, it had not been his fault. Itachi was not her babysitter, and he was not there to make sure she did not get any _booboos. _

"I don't care how great he is, Okaa-san. There is no way I'm going to marry someone like Itachi. I can't believe you would even suggest that." Sakura grumbled, looking away, both in anger and embarrassment. Who knew what she would have done if Itachi had actually heard her say such ludicrous things. She would have to kill herself with the shame, if he did not get to it first.

Her mother, however, gave a knowing sigh. "Oh, Sakura-chan, I understand that being a kunoichi is important to you, but eventually you are going to have to settle down. I want grandchildren someday, and Uchiha-san was so kind and respectful. You should have _seen _him when he apologized for what happened. He took all the blame, saying he should have been watching after you more closely on such a high ranked mission."

Sakura stared at her mother. This was not happening. She could not believe that she was telling her she should marry Uchiha _Itachi. _There were so many things that was not right about that. She could only imagine what it would be like to be the dutiful, honorable wife of the clan heir who popped out a new kid every year. It would be horrible, without a doubt in her mind. Not only was he a complete bastard, but she did not want to marry someone who she was constantly fighting with. She would never get some peace of mind.

Besides, she knew how the Uchiha clan ran things. She would most definitely have to produce an heir, and she knew what that meant. Sakura would need to have sex with him. As mature as she wanted to be, that thought sent a shiver of pure horror down her spine. Sure, he probably looked attractive to some people (the entire female population), but she was not one of them, and when she lost her virginity, she wanted it to be with someone she did not want to kill. Or see die.

Sakura had to remind herself of what had just happened. She was only alive because Itachi had rushed her home as quickly as he could, and even before then, he had been there while she weakly tried to heal herself. For some reason, he felt guilty for what had happened, even if it was not his fault, and in a way, Sakura supposed that was sweet. So it was not fair of her to wish him dead, or to hate him, and those few hours she had shared with him on top of the roof to his house had not been so bad, but that had been because neither of them had been talking.

_He ate the bento you made him, _a little voice in the back of her head reminded Sakura, and she could not deny that. She sighed, giving up on the thought. She could not hate him, but that did not mean she had to like him either. Sakura would just have to be indifferent.

"It wasn't his fault, Okaa-san. He knows that. I was just being an idiot, and got hurt because of it."

"I know it wasn't Uchiha-san's fault, Sakura-chan, it was that nuke-nin that attacked you who is to blame. What I'm trying to say is I think he genuinely cares about you, or something. Men don't admit they're wrong unless they truly believe it."

Sakura growled from deep in her throat. "Thank you, Okaa-san. You don't have to say anything more."

Much to Sakura's relief, her mother had no chance to continue, because Mikoto, with Naruto and Sasuke close on her heels, walked into the hospital room. She sighed at the solace of having others there, knowing her mother would not dare finish what she wanted to say with Mikoto in the room, considering it was her son they had been talking about.

"Sakura-chan! We were so worried!" Naruto shouted, forgetting that he was, indeed, indoors. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but they both approached her, accepting the group hug when she opened her arms wide to offer it. "Tsunade-baa wouldn't even let us see you until today, and then she kicked us out because we were cussing out _his royal bitchiness." _ He complained.

"So he really was here. I wonder what sort of devious reason he had for that." Sakura snickered.

Sasuke scoffed. "You should have seen him when he finally got back to the compound. He kept muttering something about ungrateful women never waking up. I think he's become officially insane."

"Sasuke! Don't talk about your older brother like that. He was very good to stay at Sakura-chan's bedside, after seeing her nearly get killed. Sometimes I wonder how you grew up to be so impolite." Mikoto reprimanded, stepping forward and sliding down to sit on the edge of her primly made bed.

She gave her usual, warm smile, before holding out a bento box. "According to Itachi-chan, your cooking is quite good. I am grateful that you provided food for my son on the past mission, knowing how picky he can be." Mikoto said gently as Sakura opened the box. "I understand that you haven't eaten in several days, and hospital food has the tendency to have a bad reputation. Hopefully this is better than that."

Sakura blushed slightly. She turned to look at Sasuke, as if to ask if this was true, and that Itachi had really said something like that. He shrugged though, not knowing if it was right or not. Awkwardly, Sakura looked at Mikoto again. "Itachi really said something like that?"

Mikoto seemed to deflate at hearing her ask this. "Oh, well if he didn't already tell you that, then you didn't here it from me, okay?"

Though confused, Sakura nodded her head, slowly nibbling on the meal Mikoto had been kind enough to prepare for her. How she had known that yakitori was her favorite was beyond her, but Sakura savored the chicken and scallions with no abandon. If Itachi had said that she was a good cook, it had to have been a lie, because Mikoto's cooking was incomparable.

Steadily, she finished the lunch Mikoto had brought for her, before drinking another cup of water and settling back against her pillow. Sasuke and Naruto bickered while Mikoto's tinkling, soft laugher could be heard as she spoke with her parents, clearly entertained. Sakura, however, felt sluggish after the warm meal, and she was still wrapped in bed. It may have only been some time around noon, but Sakura was still recuperating from after her fight with Sasori, and was unable to stop herself from drifting to sleep.

* * *

Itachi still hardly knew why he had done it, it had just felt like the right thing to do. He had been tired, to be sure, but he could not leave the hospital until he was sure that she was all right. He had never felt like this before, and he did not try to understand why he had felt the urge to stay. They had arrived at the hospital late into the evening on the fourth day of traveling, and even if she had been reasonably fine during the first leg of their journey, by the time he had reached Konoha, she had been feverish and fitful.

Even for him, such a long distance to travel without breaks had been trying, and at the end of it, he had been half-dead. Still, he did not stop, never so much as pausing until he reached the hospital. Shizune had been there to greet him in the emergency ward, and the kunoichi had panicked, wheeling Sakura into one of the operating rooms, and leaving him standing there, on the precipice of collapsing.

He did not let himself rest, however, and slowly made his way to the observing room above the heads of the medics working on Sakura. Itachi's breath was still heavy from the excursion of getting her home, but he did not stop, even then keeping himself on his feet by leaning on the cool glass.

There was just something in her eyes that he wanted to be sure he would see again, if it was the last thing he did. It was never going to be anything he could explain to someone else, but when he had seen her eyes grow dim, the blood pouring from her body, and skin a deathly, grey pallor, all he had known was that he could not let her die like that. The very thought of her not living, of never seeing her wide, viridian eyes glaring up at him had been utterly unacceptable.

Why he had felt that way, Itachi had no clue. All he had been able to process in those four days of constant running, praying to whatever god that would listen to a killer like him, that she would live, was that he better make it in time, because he had no idea what he would have done if she had not lived through that dilemma.

Just what was this feeling, bursting from the very depths of his chest?

It was starting to hurt, how hard he was thinking about it. For the life of him, he could not solve this new mystery that had presented itself in front of him, but eventually, he knew he had to reach an answer of some sort.

He had watched through the entire, six hour surgery with bated breath as Tsunade was called in for her mastery. Not soon after the Hokage had entered the operating room, the surgical procedure had come to a close. Tsunade joined him in the landing above, watching calmly as Shizune sewed up the unconscious Sakura.

Itachi only vaguely heard what she had said, that she would survive, but it could be a day before she woke after such an extensive surgery. He had nodded numbly, unable to look away from the comatose kunoichi, almost afraid to turn his gaze elsewhere. He had followed Tsunade into another part of the hospital, where Sakura would be resting until she was discharged.

He waited until the nurses, who though were sending him suspiciously flirtatious glances and giggles, set up Sakura's room, watching as she was gently transfered from the gurney onto the freshly made bed. They left with teasing smiles and waves, hoping that they had caught his attention. He had hardly realized that they had been in the room.

Tentatively, he stepped up to her bed, not even sure what he was doing, or what it would mean. Softly, he pressed the palm of his hand to her cheek, its warmth seeping through the contact of skin. Startled by the implications of what he was doing, and ascribing it to the lack of energy and mental capacity he was running on, he sighed, backing away from her to sit down on the one chair the room provided.

He sat there and studied her motionless figure, wondering what it meant that she had called him by his given name, rather than just _Uchiha._

* * *

AN: Wow, um, I have no life. Yeah, I meant that. But this was one of the most fun chapters to write that I've finished in a long time. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Thank you, to everyone that wished me a happy birthday! I celebrated by getting out this new chapter. As always, I would like to express my gratitude for all the reviews you guys have given me, it seriously makes my day. I absolutely love to hear what you guys think, and it really helps me improve my writing!


	8. Matters of the Heart

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

After a while the current is calling me, lulling me, waving goodbye.

I'm out here alone, oh, God can you save me now? Sinking, my heart turns to stone.

* * *

Itachi shuffled down the stairs, tugging a shirt on over his head to match with his black sweatpants. He stifled a yawn in a rare lapse of composure, having slept since late morning. Feeling properly rested, he stepped into the kitchen to steal a bite of dinner before rolling back into bed for a few more hours. It was dark out, so it was safe to assume that it was some time around eight or nine in the evening, and his family had already eaten something. Lights were still on around the Uchiha compound, however, so most of its inhabitants were still awake.

He entered the kitchen, finding a place set for him at the table, covered to maintain its warmth. His mother was at the sink, rinsing off the last of the dishes used to prepare and consume the meal she had made earlier. She must have seen him out of the corner of her eye, because he saw the most subtle of smiles cross her lips as she started to dry her dishes.

Sighing, Itachi sat down at the table, murmuring _Itadakimasu, _to himself, before uncovering his meal, and grabbing a pair of chopsticks. All was silent in the main house, meaning his father was in his study, and Sasuke was either gallivanting around Konoha with his idiotic, blond teammate, or brooding upstairs in his room. He was still annoyed with his foolish, younger brother for having him kicked out the hospital, when all he had wanted was to be there when _she _woke.

There he was, thinking about the infuriating kunoichi again. It still frustrated him to no end that he had never reached a conclusion about her, and how his chest had tightened painfully when seeing her nearly die on the battlefield. This strange anomaly was unlikely to occur again, he had to tell himself, because Itachi was not sure how to handle the thought of that uncomfortable sensation taking over him for a second time.

The only reason he had wanted to be there when she gained consciousness again, he had to remind himself, was because she had no idea of what had happened after her deadly fight with Sasori. Those civilians, at least according to Shisui and Genma, since he had not wasted time to be sure things were put together in fear of losing the kunoichi, were most grateful for her efforts to save them. Apparently, the damages taken to that neighborhood were much worse than what he had originally seen, and lives would have undoubtedly been lost if she had not evacuated the area first.

Deidara and Kabuto had been taken captive, and were still under an extensive interrogation co-headed by Morino Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi, and as a member of the team who had undergone the mission to free Bird from these tyrannous nuke-nin. She would want to know what had happened to the villagers she had nearly died to protect, and probably would wish to return, to heal whatever injuries sustained by the civilians who had been dragged into the shinobi battle by mishap.

This was the only reason he had for wanting to be there when those vibrant, emerald eyes opened, fuchsia eyelashes fluttering gently as she adjusted to the bright lighting again, and her luscious hair framing her face pale like a pink halo that-

Itachi was not one to use offensive language, but what the _hell _had that been? This was Haruno Sakura, and she had to be the last person he wanted to be having such inappropriate thoughts about. There was nothing even remotely attractive about those obnoxious, pink locks of hers, he had to growl inwardly, and her green eyes were a poor match with that hair color.

Determinedly, he took another bite of grilled tuna, trying to rid his head of such wholly unwanted musings. Itachi was too busy glaring down at the tabletop and attempting to shake himself of Sakura to even notice that his mother had finished drying the dishes, and had settled herself on a cushion across the table from him with a steeping mug of tea.

"Itachi-chan," Mikoto started carefully, bringing him from his disturbed reverie. "Why didn't you tell Sakura-chan that you enjoyed her cooking, like you had to me? Women love being payed compliments, no matter who it's from." She said placidly, blowing on her tea.

If he had been any other man, Itachi's jaw would have dropped to somewhere on the floor in absolute horror. Had he truly told his mother that he liked Sakura's cooking? He could not recall having said something, and if he had, he must have been delirious after spending two days at the hospital and four traveling anxiously home. If he really had said such a ridiculous thing, it had certainly not been intentional.

Of course, he could not deny that her cooking was quite good, even if he would always prefer his mother's. He had to wonder, now, how his mother had known that he had never told Sakura he thought her culinary skills to be adequate. The only way that could have been possible was if she had somehow spoken to the kunoichi between the time he had seen her late that morning, and that moment. Itachi was quick to reach a verdict.

"Haruno has woken since my leaving, then," he deduced quietly. Mikoto gave him a brief, fleeting smile, confirming his thoughts.

"She woke at some time close to noon, and was alert for at least an hour. I brought her something to eat, and she fell back asleep soon after finishing that. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-chan accompanied me to see her, which was probably why she had exhausted herself so quickly. Her parents were there as well." She answered, pausing for a moment, considering how she should bring up what she had on her mind. It was always difficult for a mother to speak to her son about such things, and with such a perceptive, distrustful son like Itachi, it was much more complicated.

"They mentioned you, actually." Mikoto said casually, folding her hands on the wooden tabletop. She stared downwards at her hands for a moment, before flashing dark, intuitive eyes up at him. "They are under the impression that you are courting their daughter, after you had not even returned home, or so much as left the hospital since getting Sakura-chan into Konoha until Tsunade sent you away."

Itachi could do nothing but sit and stare. They could not seriously have thought that he was romantically interested in Sakura. He had simply been doing his duty as team captain, to be sure that his colleague would fully recover. It was outrageous that his mother was even considering this to be true, knowing how much he disliked her, and resented the need to marry anyone for the sake of the Uchiha clan.

"Is this true, Itachi-chan? Have you formed an attraction for her?" His mother whispered hopefully.

He could not answer, because it suddenly struck him, why his mother had been so forceful on having him create some sort of bond with his little brother's kunoichi teammate. She _wanted _him to become enamored with Sakura, to bring her into the family through him, since it was not going to happen with Sasuke. He knew his mother had always wanted a daughter, and she had loved Sakura from the beginning, for reasons he could never understand.

He looked down at his unfinished meal, and found himself unable to eat the rest. Abruptly, he stood, untying his raven hair to pull it up again more neatly. He had to go, and he knew where his feet would lead him, even if it was not where he wanted to be. An urge he could not explain to even himself rose inside of him, and he had to see her. It did not really matter why he felt this compulsion, but like a silent beacon, she was calling him to her.

He did not like it one bit, but he turned from the kitchen table, heading to the front door to fetch his sandals.

"Wait, Itachi-chan!" Mikoto called him back, already well aware of where he would be going. "I made Sakura-chan another bento, in case you decided to go see her. Would you take it for me?"

Itachi really hated this. He still felt exasperated by this entire situation, and his mother had been the one to instigate it all, but he hardly could disobey her. He took the package his mother held out from him, wondering when he had become so predictable. He used to be the very image of unpredictability, and now he was losing it.

The entire journey to the hospital had felt as if he were floating, almost a surreal experience, and he was not sure why. The nurses, too bewitched by his presence alone, dared not refuse him entrance to the emergency ward, even if it was after visiting hours. The only reason he had been allowed to stay over night last time was because Tsunade had permitted it, though he doubted the smitten female nurses would have been able to push him out the door, should they have had to.

None of the medics from the earlier shift, who had seen Tsunade force him through the front doors, ordering him to not return until he had gotten a good twenty-four hours of proper rest, were present, not that it would have deterred him. The Hokage would not be on the premises, either, so there was nothing stopping Itachi.

Not making a single sound, he slid the door open, stepping inside the dark room, and was shocked by the scene that he walked into. She was no longer in her bed, and the chair he had spent two days hunched over in was set next to the large, open window, allowing the moon to bathe her curled up form in pure, ethereal white. She was perched in that chair, her knees brought up to her chest, the hospital gown not doing a very good job to hide her naked legs.

The mane of pink hair, now an eery, bleached white in the moonlight, that he had decided he did _not _think was appealing, was up in a sloppy bun, baring her slender neck, but still falling out in some places to frame her alabaster face. For a moment, he had waited for her to turn, once figuring out that he was there in her room, and had almost said something, until she had done something he had not been prepared for.

Unaware that he had entered, a broken sob ripped from her throat.

* * *

She was so pathetic, and she knew it. When she had woken again, Sakura had gladly found herself alone, and allowed to think about what had happened. Once again, she had failed to do even the most simple of things, because her team had put too many expectations on her. Itachi had told her to prove that she was worthy of working with him, and at one point, she had believed such a thing was possible.

That had just been her getting ahead of herself again, though. Itachi really must have thought she was a fool, because she could not so much as save an infant, or protect herself. Clearly, she was not prepared to be working with someone who's stature was as unreasonably high as his. ANBU Team One was leaps above her, and there was no way she could ever reach that level.

It had been presumptuous to think she could ever be equal with them. She had nearly died, and they had injuries no worse than scratches and bruises after the same mission. They were all so beyond her, and that dream of being able to prove herself to the man who had told her to become stronger was out of her reach. It seemed useless to even keep trying.

A cry escaped her as she saw that baby boy again, wailing, and needing her help, only to have his neck broken helplessly in front of her. In her mind's eye, all she could see was Sasori's long, horrible fingers wrapped around his fragile neck, seemingly as gentle as a caress, until that child's bawling had been silenced forever. She was to blame for all that had happened, even if Itachi had wanted to shoulder it all in front of her parents.

Sakura knew she should not have been so insulted by the idea of becoming Itachi's bride when her mother had brought it up, because it was her that was undeserving of such a chivalrous man. She was only alive because he had come to find her, and had made it in time to help her heal herself. He could have just as easily gone to find Shisui and Genma to assist them in their battle with Kabuto, but he had gone to be sure she was safe first.

She was a disappointment as a kunoichi anyway, so it hardly mattered what her mother thought about Itachi. There were so many reasons that she was below him, and even if she should wish for his attention, which was extremely unlikely, he would never give it to her. He had better women after him, who were much more worth his time.

She could not so much as keep herself from having a pity party after flopping on a mission. Giving a shaky sigh, she wiped her teary eyes, half wanting to laugh at herself, and the other half wishing she could simply disappear. She really was such a fool, but there was not much she could to do change that now.

Chuckling despite herself, all the while still crying like a little girl, Sakura realized if someone was in the room, it would probably look like she was clinically insane. She was tired though, and even if she was slightly hungry, she knew that she was going to get a headache from so much crying, and she would much rather avoid that all by crawling back into the hospital bed and getting more sleep. Sakura stood with a slow stretch, turning to go back to bed, only to come face to face with a certain Uchiha Itachi.

She hardly knew what to do with this, but felt as if her privacy had been invaded. A shocked sob escaped her as she lifted her hands to cover her face with shame. Of all people, _of course _it had to be him that had seen her in such a pitiful state, especially after her broken state was half because of him. He had no right to intrude on her privacy, yet, he stood there awkwardly, observing her red eyes and the shadows beneath them.

He was not sure why she was weeping, and even if he had asked, Itachi knew she would never tell him. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he frowned as her shoulders heaved with her lamentations. A new feeling emerged with a force he was ill prepared for, making him want to ease her pained tears, to sneak his arms around her small, shaking form and offer what warmth and solace he could.

As long as he did not have to see her so utterly crushed and miserable. At the same time, he had to wonder why she found it necessary to hide her face from him. There was no shame in crying, as far as he was concerned. Cautiously, he stepped forward, setting the bento his mother had ordered him bring to her onto the edge of her bed. She turned however, unsure of how to interpret his actions.

Unaware of how she would decipher his uncharacteristic behavior, Itachi wrapped long, slender fingers about her wrists, gently wrenching them away from her teary face. He still did not understand why his chest seemed to ache at seeing her so in pain. Itachi just wanted it all to stop, so he would not have to feel that way. It was strange to even think that it _hurt _to see her like this.

Yep, he absolutely abhorred this bizarre, discomforting situation he found himself in with the pink-haired kunoichi.

She turned defensive, borderline hostile. Her tone was sharp and biting when she addressed him. "What the hell do you think you're doing, telling your _mother _that you liked my cooking, Uchiha? Do you have any idea of what my parents think now? They saw you in my room, and suddenly, assume I have some fucking weird relationship with you!"

Itachi could not deny that this had surprised him, that this would be the first this for her to say. "I am already aware of what your parents believe, Sakura." He replied calmly, her name rolling over his tongue in a familiar way that he could not help liking. It had come out so easily, natural in a way he had not anticipated. Unfortunately, she did not seem to appreciate the sound of her name on his soft lilt, because her eyes, that had moments before been teary, widened in pure fury.

"What did you just call me, Uchiha?" She growled. "What right do you have to call me by my given name?" Sakura asked dangerously, adding only as an after thought, "And why, for fuck's sake, don't you care what my parents think? My mother was getting excited that you were so _polite _and wanted to take the blame for what happened. Half of the village is going to know by the end of the week, and when people start congratulating me, it'll be your goddamned fault."

Itachi disregarded her first two questions, mostly because he had no real answer for them. Sakura was her _name, _so he supposed that was reason enough to call her that, and it her curled around his lips so pleasantly that he felt he had done nothing wrong. As generic as it had once seemed, her name really was quite fitting, and he would not allow her to chastise him for using it.

As far as the other part of her inquiry went, Itachi shrugged. "People will believe what they want, whether it is true or not." He answered, "And would you rather I act condescending to your parents? I should have watched you more closely on that mission, and I have enough humility to admit that to them. If I had kept a closer eye on you, you would not have returned home half dead."

Sakura wanted to shriek with frustration. "Why do you keep doing that? It's my own damn fault that I couldn't handle Sasori, and nearly died. You don't need to keep saying that it's you're to blame, because no one else is in the room to hear your stupid lies. This is the entire reason why my mother was so agreeable about you!"

She tore her wrists away from him, feeling much too close, and took a step back.

"I was not lying to your parents, Sakura," he murmured sedately, "I am captain of that team, and as such, I must take full responsibility to what happens to its members. You almost died because I had sent you away to evacuate the civilians, so I am perfectly liable, and I accept this. I had been out of line, to be angry with you when I was fighting Deidara, when you had done nothing wrong in protecting that young child."

Sakura deflated at mere mentioning of the infant, swaddled in his butter-yellow blanket, and wailing in fear. There was something he could not ever take the blame for, even if he had wanted to. She had been the one to rescue that baby boy, only to powerlessly watch Sasori kill him. Sakura knew that was something she would never, in her life ahead, be able to forget that. She deserved to be cursed by that memory though, because she was the one who had not been capable of protecting him.

The waterworks started again, against her will. She stepped back further, backing herself up against the window pane. Arms folded around herself instinctively, Sakura turned her face away so he could not see the tears trailing down her cheeks. Her eyes were already feeling dry because of it, but she could not stop herself. It was too much to bear.

Itachi stood there helplessly, bewildered by her sudden mood swing, and wondering what he had said to cause it.

"Uchiha, I-

She gulped, not sure how she was even supposed to say it, when he was giving her the most astonished, concerned look she had ever seen on his face. A new sense of shame washed over her for her most recent failure.

"I couldn't protect the baby. When I reached the retirement home, he had still been crying, and in my efforts to quiet him, I had not payed enough attention to my surroundings. Sasori killed him, and I couldn't do anything to save him." She managed to choke out. Sakura could tell by his silence that Itachi was shocked to hear this.

She had expected for the muted Uchiha to then leave at hearing the truth, to from then on, pay no heed to her existence, because of her failure as a kunoichi. She had expected him to ask why she so blatantly lacked situational-awareness, when that was half of being a shinobi to begin with. Hell, Sakura could have first expected him to flat out tell her she was unsuccessful as a kunoichi, and should give it up, for her own good.

Instead, going against everything Sakura had pegged him for, Itachi had stepped towards her, and pulled her into his arms.

She would have fought him, really. If not for the fact she had reached the point of being so weak and tired that she was incapable of putting up a fight, and the fact he was just so unbelievably _warm. _If it had not been for that, Sakura would have pushed him away with joy, and there would be an Itachi-shaped hole in the wall for his making such unwanted, unappreciated, unacceptable physical contact.

It hardly mattered why he had done it, because once his warm, powerful arms had encased her, she had forgotten that this was Itachi, rather than one of her teammates who was attempting to comfort her. She smothered her cries in his chest, her mind only just registering his fresh scent of pine, peppermint and clean rainwater. It was soothing, and without realizing it, she slipped her arms around his back and squeezed him hard, leeching heat and reassurance from him. Sakura had to refuse to acknowledge that his scent was at all appealing.

Uncertain to say the least, because he still was not sure why he had decided to comfort her, besides that unbearable pain in his chest at seeing her miserable, Itachi gently smoothed her hair, moving it out of her face, and ignoring that detail that she was wetting his shirt. Never would he have imagined her being comfortable enough around him to return his gesture.

Not that he was thinking all that much about it.

* * *

It was late, or rather, early. Naruto and Sasuke had been taking their fill of the night, drinking themselves stupid and stumbling around because of it. Naturally, the Uchiha could not return home until he was mostly sober, for his staggering through the main household would surely wake his parents, and he did not want to have to answer to them about his drinking habits. Naruto did not care either way, much too wasted to think straight.

Without much thought at all, the ended up swaying down to the hospital, with every intention of bugging their kunoichi teammate. The front office was closed, its fluorescent lighting shut off, and the glass door locked. At least they were clearheaded enough to not break the glass to enter, because they somehow had managed to concentrate their chakra to scale up the hospital wall to her window, through their drunken stupor.

Unsurprisingly, their teammate was asleep, considering it was three in the morning, and no sane person was still awake, unless they were assigned guard duty. The sound of them roughly opening her window and crashing to the tiled flooring of her hospital room was loud enough to wake her. She had shot up instantly, ignoring the dizziness that came with her actions. Already in a defensive position, she was astonished to find Sasuke and Naruto staring up at her pathetically from where they had fallen to the floor.

As much as she appreciated her team's company, this was hardly the appropriate time to be visiting, and she had been sleeping quite contentedly, after having spent a good hour crying into Itachi's chest. That had completely exhausted her, and it had hard for her to stay awake after settling down, even when he had come to relay what had happened in Bird after their speedy departure.

While still feeling sorry for herself, and for the child she had failed to protect, Sakura had been glad to hear that both Deidara and Kabuto had been brought into captivity, and though he did not know the details, they were likely to still be under interrogation. He had been calm and atypically genial, something she had not expected from the usually apathetic Uchiha.

If she had not known any better, Sakura would have called him sweet, in wanting to be sure she ate something remotely edible, and knew about what she had missed after falling unconscious. He had even somehow put her in a good enough mood for her to encourage him to sit on the bed with her, as if he were Naruto or Sasuke. How she had done it without any fighting, Sakura would never know, but she had even managed to get him to finish the food his mother had fixed, when she could not.

His companionship, though originally unwanted, had been rather pleasant. They had sat cross-legged on either end of the stiff bed, quietly talking like they never had been able to before. It had been so strange, to think they had always fought like a pair of territorial, raging animals, when they were clearly capable of holding a conversation in a mature, dignified manner.

Eventually he had left again, once she had been lulled into a state of near sleep, and the only thing she had felt before drifting off were calloused fingers, gently sweeping her hair out of her face.

Sakura carefully cleared her mind when she realized just what she was thinking.

She could smell the sake on their breath as they _literally _had to pull themselves up onto her hospital bed. In the end, she had to move from under her warm covers to help the idiotic duo up to the top. She smiled with an exasperated shake of her head; as much as they enjoyed getting on her nerves, she really could not help loving her teammates. They certainly would not have appreciated it, but Sakura thought the pair of them could be downright adorable.

Still, it was annoying to have to deal with her intoxicated friends, who were rowdy and unrefined, compared to her previous visitor. There, Sakura had to stop herself again, because she was damn certain she should not have been thinking about how Itachi's company was preferable when against Naruto and Sasuke's. Besides, his gentle demeanor and soft-spoken reassurances were probably a fluke. She could never expect to see that Itachi again.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, you smell funny," Naruto leered, almost inappropriately, looking as if he were going to topple over. Sakura gave him a bewildered look, before lifting the collar of her gown and taking a deep breath. Embarrassed, she realized that she could detect the faint scent she had absorbed from him after crying to her heart's content into Itachi's warm body.

Sasuke, too seemed to catch on. Obnoxiously, and with no regard for her personal space, he leaned in and took a lungful, eyebrows scrunching in concentration as he tried to figure out where he had smelled that aroma before. It did not take him very long before it struck him, who had been so close to their kunoichi teammate. "What was _his royal bitchiness _doing here?" He asked in a sneer.

"Was he trying to be creepy, and watched you sleeping again?" Sasuke continued mockingly. Both him and Naruto seemed to find this amusing, because in their inebriation, their snickers turned into side splitting laugher. As rare as it was to see any Uchiha laugh, even if Sasuke had undergone a sort of rehabilitation once being enrolled in Team Seven, Sakura did not join in their mirth.

For fact, she was quite displeased. With the subtlety of an rampaging elephant, she hammered her fists down on either of their heads with a resounding thud. Both males, confused in their drunkenness, and nursing a matching pair of bruises, gave her a hard glare.

She turned her nose up, sniffing disdainfully. "Leave Itachi alone. He brought me dinner, while all you idiots did was get wasted and wake me up in the middle of the night. I bet you never really planned to visit me anyway, and just stumbled in here by accident."

Sasuke seemed to be shocked into sobriety by hearing this strange account of his elder brother. "Itachi did _what? _He brought _you _dinner?" He asked, both bewildered and alarmed by the implications of his brother's unusual actions. Sakura, however, took it as an insult, and crossed her arms angrily.

"Yes, he brought me dinner. Itachi was on my team the last mission I had, remember? He was just trying to make up for what had happened. It doesn't mean anything." She answered, unperturbed by the fact a man like Itachi had even visited her hospital room at any hour of the night, especially when he had decided to not prod her in an attempt to get on her nerves.

Sasuke groaned in despair, pressing the palm of his hand to his forehead to battle an oncoming headache. "Sakura, when are you going to learn that Uchiha never do anything without reason? Itachi would only visit you if he somehow thought it would benefit him later on. He's up to something."

Sakura snorted at her suspicious friend. Once again, he had proven how ridiculous he could be in his endeavors to protect her from every male she came into contact with. He was not nearly as bad as Naruto was in such occasions, but considering it was his own brother in this case, and his blond counterpart was still much too smashed to make sense of anything that was happening, he must have concluded it was up to him to be sure she was untouched.

This was absolutely preposterous, of course, because no matter what way she looked at it, there was no way in hell that Itachi was interested in her so that her teammates should evolve into savage, man-eating body guards. Itachi himself had explained his own reasoning in dropping by, finding himself faulty for her deadly injuries, and wanting to elaborate on what had happened after their speedy departure from Bird.

Sakura had no reason to doubt what Itachi had told her, especially when it made much more sense than what Sasuke was hinting at. "Listen, Sasuke, because you're obviously still much too drunk to think straight," Sakura scoffed, "Itachi gave me something to eat, we talked for a few hours, and he left. There is no big story, and it doesn't mean anything besides the reality that Itachi is capable of being compassionate, even if he _is _an Uchiha."

Sasuke's expression flattened at the very thought. He ignored the rude remark directed at his clan's stereotype, instead honing in on the idea that Itachi, his aloof, distant older brother, had spent hours with Sakura when she had been admitted to the hospital. Itachi was not known for stepping anywhere near the medical center unless it was absolutely necessary, and Sakura meant nothing to him. When he had been held in a hospital for a week just a year previous, Itachi had never so much as stopped in to see his younger brother.

To add insult onto injury, the mere idea that Itachi was capable of holding a conversation for several hours was disturbing, almost unnatural. Sasuke was not sure what the catalyst had been, but he was convinced that his elder brother, on unknown grounds, had formed some sort of attachment to his kunoichi teammate. What his level of fondness was, Sasuke was uncertain, but it was becoming increasingly clear that something he would not like was going to happen between Sakura and his brother.

He wondered helplessly if there was anything he could possibly do so Sakura could defend herself against his brother's unwanted attention. This was Itachi though, and even if there was little he could do to save her now, Sakura was going to have to face, and accept, her fate. She was virtually screwed, because Sasuke was well aware that Itachi was not one to play games. When he _did, _it was for keeps.

It was likely that Itachi did not realize where this was heading either, from the indifferent way he always seemed to treat everyone, but Sasuke could tell. It was different this time, and maybe if their joint oblivion prevented anything from happening for long enough, he would be able to step in somehow, but Sasuke knew what the chances of success were, if he even dared.

That would not stop him from trying, though. For Sakura's sake, and his own sanity, he would stop them from forming any sort of devotion for one another, if it was the last thing he did. Needless to say, Naruto was going to prove himself on their newest conquest, once he regained a clear head. It went without saying that they were going to give Itachi hell.

"Trust me, Sakura," he sighed, "it means everything."

* * *

AN: This update was much slower than the others. Mostly because of the three major projects I'm dealing with... In the past week, I've had to put up my (high school) senior art show displaying my best pieces after three years of taking advanced art classes, prepare a recycled fashion show, and organize a chalk festival. How do I do it? I have no idea. You tell me. I'm beginning to hate being president of the art club.

But again, thank you everyone, for the overload of 'happy birthday's I've gotten. It really did warm my heart, to read all of those.


	9. Missing a Beat

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Big shocker.

* * *

Go!

And take away the pain of being me, soothe my soul, caress my heart,

And end my fear, all my bad memories eradicated.

* * *

It had been a week since Sasuke had first figured out that his brother, whatever the reasons may be, was much more interested in his kunoichi teammate than he should have been. Sakura had returned home, and was resting comfortably, while his brother, as if nothing was unusual at all, was training everyday and taking short, solo missions. He was treating the world like he always did, remaining indifferent and aloof to everything, but Sasuke was not deceived. It had to be some sort of act.

He was tired of waiting to see them together again, and finally, decided to approach his brother, and get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, when Itachi did not want to be bothered, he could become unreasonably difficult to find. Sasuke could search the entire village, and still not be able to find him. At least, that was how it usually went.

This time, however, it appeared that Itachi was not hiding to the best of his abilities. He was perched up on a towering elm, dressed casually, as if he had just had a training session to himself. There was no indication of this, however, in the surrounding greenery, and it appeared that his brother was simply lazing. That alone was an anomaly.

He looked unusually relaxed, with one leg hanging over the branch, and his other propped up, with an elbow leaning on it casually. Sasuke could not, in all his memories of his elder brother, remember seeing him so at ease. Without even looking in his direction, Itachi called out, "What is it, Otouto? If you came to merely annoy me, then get it over with."

Sasuke blinked in surprise, but instead of retorting, he leapt the twenty feet upwards to the branch his brother was so content resting on, and sat, both feet dangling over the edge. There was a long, awkward silence that followed after this, though Itachi showed none of his discomfort, if he had any at all. Sasuke stared at the ground below, wondering _why, _only now, Itachi looked so unwound, when even in those rare, Uchiha outings where all the males of their clan soaked in the nearest onsen, he looked as tense as always. He did not want to read into this peculiar event, for fear of imagining something he would rather not.

He was probably just blowing things out of proportions, he had to tell himself. A few nights ago he had earnestly believed that Itachi was attracted to his kunoichi teammate, but that could not possibly be the truth. Perhaps his brother found her fascinating on some level, but he could not allow himself to believe that Itachi was interested in her any more than that. He did not want to jump to conclusions, because it would only stress him out more, if he convinced himself that his brother wished to enter a relationship that was not strictly platonic with Sakura. Not that it would matter, because she would never accept his courtship, should he bother.

She may not have hated him completely, but that was more due to the fact he had saved her life, than anything else. He knew her well enough to safely assume Sakura could not be drawn to Itachi at all, physically or emotionally. It had taken him a few days to calm down after making his first deductions to reach this epiphany, and there was no way he was wrong. Sakura was the sort of person that remained untouchable by capable suitors, so should Itachi attempt to woo her, he would not have a chance. If the ice-brick known as his older brother could succeed in seeking her favor, _Lee _would have convinced her to date him years back.

Of course, Sakura could be rather oblivious to the sometimes overbearing coaxes her various admirers made, so she would be unlikely to realize it if Itachi tried to do something as ridiculous as _flirt _with her. The very thought almost cracked Sasuke up, if it were not for the horror it gave him.

"I told you not to break her," Sasuke finally muttered, looking slightly abashed, "she is half determined to stay at the hospital for the duration of her career, because of that goddamned mission." Itachi did not appear to heed him any attention. "And why the hell are you letting the village think those things about you?"

Itachi's eyes, which had been shut a moment before, slowly slid open, the dark depths piercing into Sasuke's own orbs, intensely asking for more information. It was obvious, however, that his younger brother had no intention in divulging any further details, so he was forced to respond.

"It is her decision to not go on any missions, not mine," he answered calmly, before bluntly adding, "The village can believe what they wish. It is incorrect, and undoubtedly planted by a rumor-spreading female desperate for some sort of regard that cannot be gained otherwise."

Sasuke snorted, wholeheartedly agreeing.

Itachi, however, had said this because he did not want to think about that strange, strangling sensation that appeared in his chest each time she showed any shred of sorrow or pain. He did not like it, _hated it, _even, and there was only one comprehensible solution, if he wanted to not deal with that unusual feeling she invoked in him. Avoid her presence at all costs. Those two hours he had spent speaking with her, after soothing her tears, had seemed unrealistically long, and she had made him do things he would not do under any circumstance.

She had somehow managed to persuade him to sit on that small, hard, hospital bed across from her, then got him to willingly eat from the dinner made for her. Of course, it had been his mothers cooking, so that was not too extraordinary, but it was the principal; they had used the same eating utensils, with a familiarity he was not accustomed to. All he had wanted to do was share the following events of their mission, but for reasons he could hardly explain to even himself, he had ended up speaking with her about a wide variation of subject, most of which he rarely touched upon with people he was close to.

She was much more innocent than he had originally though, which was surprising. Sakura was such an unorthodox woman, with sometimes such stark, contrasting views on life that he had to wonder if she was completely sane. She was confident in her belief system though, and saw it as truth, so he could not help wondering if she was right. Life was something to cherish, and no one had the right to stifle it, no matter who they were.

It was childish to think the rest of humanity could follow this trail of thought, and keep its predisposition for violence at bay. This was much more than just Kakashi's influence, but that of her civilian childhood, and he did not necessarily see this as a bad thing. In a way, her youthful take on life, though use of that word reminded him more of Gai and his exuberant pupil than anything, was almost endearing. Or rather, he could better understand why so many people, shinobi and civilian alike, flocked to her. She was optimistic, despite her lifestyle of choice, as a murderer.

Still, he could not view her quite as everyone else did. He did not want to be around her, did not want to smother her with affection, and did not want to even speak with her. All he wanted to do was keep his distance, until she was just a passing memory, and he forgot what that throbbing, ache in his chest was like. She caused more problems than what she was worth.

Sasuke's jaw, however, slackened at his frank answer. "You honestly don't care that every fangirl in this entire village is going to draw attention to themselves even more, now? If they believe this rumor, even if it isn't true, it might as well be accurate. Those obsessive fans of yours will become more desperate for you awareness than before, if they feel threatened by competition."

For a moment, Itachi really thought his brother cared. Then he had to bring into consideration what it would mean if those beguiled females felt threatened by Sakura. Not only would they be bothering _him _more, but her as well. He could only imagine what her fellow kunoichi would do in retaliation for the newest gossip going around. Not that it really bothered him what they did to her.

"It hardly pertains to you, that those zealous, smitten females will be after me with new found determination. This changes nothing for you." Itachi returned calmly, his eyes turning to the blue, midday sky.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. His brother had not dealt with those same fans when Sakura first was selected as a member of Team Seven, so he had no clue how nasty they could become. Well, he could not say he did not warn him, that much Sasuke was certain. It still stood, that he and Naruto would beat him to a bloody pulp, should the situation call for it, or die trying, at least.

* * *

When she had first joined Sasuke and Naruto to form Team Seven, Sakura had been glared at by every able-bodied female in Konoha. Now, it was ten times worse, and she had no idea why. She had done nothing to merit this unwanted attention, and yet, each time she exited her home, there was at least one death threat sitting on her doormat. They were all unspecific, only claiming that she had stolen something she did not deserve, and that she was going to pay for it.

Between this, and her failed mission, it seemed that her entire life was going down the toilet. She could not seem to get a break, even at the hospital, because those nurses who had always looked up at her with admiration and respect, now glowered at her with downright bitterness and hatred. This had been her safe haven, and now she could not get peace there, doing what she loved most.

Something had to be circling around the village, and she could not figure it out for the life of her. There was probably only one person who would tell her, she knew. The epicenter of all rumors, the gossip queen, Yamanaka Ino.

Becoming slightly frustrated, Sakura made her way to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, the familiar chiming of bells as she opened the door alerting Ino that she had a customer. Normally, she would be upset at seeing her visitor was not going to be buying any flowers, but in this case, a devious smirk spread her cherry-red lips with glee. She had been wanting to speak with her best friend, since initially hearing that she had entered a scandalous relationship with a certain Uchiha Itachi.

"Forehead, fancy seeing you here! I didn't think he would let you out for a while, that stud-muffin of a boyfriend you got."

Sakura instantly froze at this comment, staring at the speaker with shock and disgust. _What?_ She did not have a _boyfriend, _last she knew, and she was sure she would never be interested in a man Ino called _stud-muffin. _ "What the hell are you talking about this time, Ino-pig?" Sakura asked, marching up to the front counter.

Ino rested her chin on her hands as she placed her elbows on the counter. "You're so silly, Forehead. I'm so jealous, to be honest. I bet he's wonderful in bed, that hunk of a man." She sighed wistfully, stunning Sakura further.

"What do you mean? I don't know who you're talking about." Sakura answered, crossing her arms angrily.

Ino laughed, straightening her back and waving her hand. "Oh, come on! That isn't going to work with me...but tell me, why didn't you tell me you were seeing Itachi before now? I want to hear all the juicy details, and you've been keeping them to yourself all this time! Now spill, Forehead!"

Sakura blanched. This had to be what was causing so much hostility in the hospital, because she was well aware that half the nurses who worked there were major fans of his. "Itachi?" She asked faintly, wondering if she should sit down before she fell.

Her friend rolled her eyes. "Well, who else do you think I was talking about? Of course, Itachi! You have to tell me what sex with a god like him is like, so come clean. I've wanted to know since I heard he's become your little honey-cakes." Ino prattled, waiting expectantly.

She was absolutely mortified at the very thought. Itachi should not have been referred to as _honey-cakes, _under any circumstance. More disturbing than that, she got a sudden image of him, the most emotionless, indifferent male in existence, being seductive, and she literally felt bile rise in her throat. That just was _not _right, and it was horrifying that her mind was even capable of conjuring such a vision.

"I'm not seeing Itachi!" Sakura cried out in indignation, upset that her best friend would even think such a thing.

Ino deflated visibly, a disappointed frown replacing her sneer. "Well, that's a shame," she sighed sadly. "I was hoping we could name his penis, or something."

Sakura could not help turning five different shades of red at this suggestion, and defenselessly squeaked. How Ino always came up with her schemes was beyond her, but at this point, it was best not knowing. Hell, she did not want to even know why anyone would do something like that.

"What do you think of 'Python?' I think it sounds pretty damn hot."

"Ino!"

The blond kunoichi laughed, shaking her head at Sakura's shameful blush. As if to reassure the distraught woman, Ino patted her shoulders, trying to hold back her giggling. "I was just joking, Forehead. There's no need to get so serious. It's no surprise you're still single, since you take everything so personally, and don't know how to loosen up." She finally said, reproachfully.

Sakura rolled her eyes. She was _not _single because of her inability to take a joke, even though Ino really had been out of line with her lascivious comment. She was single, at least for the moment, because it was too complicated to have a relationship. Perhaps the idea of having the attention and doting of a male would be appreciated, but Sakura could not afford any time to pursue a man. Eventually it would happen, she supposed, because she really did want to at least a semblance of a romantic life, but chances of a male shinobi tying themselves down to her in any form seemed slim.

She refused to enter any sort of relationship that was not platonic with a civilian man, and for several reasons. Civilians, even if they bothered to even make an attempt at understanding the life of a shinobi, would never comprehend what it truly meant. If the relationship ever got far enough for her to walk down the isle, whatever husband she committed herself to would want her to sacrifice her duties as a kunoichi for him, to instead raise children. She would never be able to accept a man who only saw her as a way to continue his line, or did not value her lifestyle.

Of course, marriage at all was a scary topic for her, considering how much her mother pressured her to find a man to settle down with someone acceptable. Sakura wished that her mother would understand that she could not devote herself to a man just because she was an adult now, and old enough to be wed honorably. Her mother had been content in tying the knot at a young age, but Sakura could not do the same.

"I don't need a boyfriend to get in my way," Sakura replied calmly. Of course, Ino was probably going to suggest her skip the entire boyfriend-deal, and just find someone to crawl into bed with. This had not been the first time they had had a similar conversation. It was true though, because no matter how much Sakura could just be a normal kunoichi who flitted around men as easily, and without consequences like Ino did, it simply was not possible for her.

She had a reputation as both a medic-nin and Tsunade's student, and could not afford to lose the respect she had gained in the hospital.

Ino sighed, already able to predict where this conversation was going to go, if she said as she wished. "If you say so, Forehead. I know you aren't going to like hearing this, but what would be so bad about that rumor being true? Is Itachi really such an awful guy?"

Sakura cringed. Itachi was not awful, she knew, but the thought of that rumor having even a sliver of validity in it sent a shiver of trepidation down her spine. He was a good person to have around on missions, and when in a sticky situation, but she could only imagine what sort of lover he would be. Even if he had appeared to have warmed up to her slightly, and she was no longer under the impression that he hated her, Sakura did not think it was possible for them become involved romantically.

"Itachi can be relatively thoughtful when he wants to be," she answered contemplatively, "and I would not be alive if it were not for him, but he would never be interested in me. Before I even so much as become fond of him, I would rather accept that there is nothing between us but comradeship. He is a shinobi, I am a shinobi, and that is the way it will stay."

Ino could tell as it was there was much more between her best friend and the ANBU captain than what Sakura was willing to share. She had heard, somewhere on the grapevine, that the Uchiha had not left her side, staying in her hospital room for two days, until being shoved out the door by force. Now, she knew how shinobi clans worked, hailing from one herself, and for the heir to act in such a manner was highly unusual. Whether Sakura realized it or not, it was obvious to Ino that he was likely to be somewhat attached.

She smirked, wondering what her pink-haired, prone to become hysterical at the mere idea of her mother's insistence, friend would do if she heard her hypothesis. If it was at all accurate, then the kunoichi was very much in danger of being ensnared by an overeager Uchiha heir and being dragged into clan politics. Chances were, having the attention of a man like him would overwhelm her, and one thing would lead to another...Ino just got a vivid image of her friend _poppin'_ out pink-haired, emotionally constipated Uchiha babies by the dozen.

Why was it so difficult for her to just get laid, without all this drama? Sakura could seriously use it, if you asked Ino.

She snorted. "Thoughtful? Last I knew, he freaking saved your life, then ran your ass back to konoha, not leaving your side until Tsunade had kicked him out. Does that really sound to you like he is just a comrade? Shikamaru and Choji wouldn't even stay in the hospital for _two days, _and I've known them since I was three! There is no way in hell that he thinks of you as just a shinobi, because if he did, he would never had waited for you."

Sakura blushed, trying to hide her face in the process, and not doing a very good job of it. She already knew that the Yamanaka, Akimichi and Nara clans were rather close, and had been for generations, so for Ino to bring this up was tantamount to her saying that Itachi was going to go on one knee, and ask for her hand. Which was absolutely ludicrous. To compare her relationship, or lack there of, with Itachi to that of hers with Shikamaru and Choji was utter nonsense. It was more likely for Sasuke to suddenly proclaim himself as a homosexual, and pounce _Lee. _

Besides, Itachi had already (sort of) explained himself, and his reasoning to wait until she woke. He had seen her nearly die, and he had already told her that he had wanted to share what had happened in Bird after their untimely departure. He cared about his teammates; Itachi had proven that on the mission, and there was a reason that his unit always returned home in one piece. No matter how often Sasuke liked to poke fun at his elder brother, Itachi really was capable of compassion, a rarity in their line of work.

"Ino-pig, I haven't seen him in over a week, and he's probably avoiding me after what had happened last time we met. I'm his little brother's teammate, so there has to be something wrong with what you're implying. Sasuke is practically a part of my family, and for me to suddenly be with his brother is like incest. There's no way, even if he had saved my life, that he wants me."

"Why? What happened last time you saw that hunk of man-meat?" Ino asked curiously, moving her long, blond bangs from her face. "Did you almost kiss, or something?"

"No!"

"Then what happened?"

Sakura shook her head, focusing her attention at the small vase sitting on the countertop, rather than meeting Ino's gaze. She did not want the rest of the village's populace to know what she had done that night, in her hospital room, when Itachi had come to visit. It was beyond shameful, and he surely would not want that sort of information to be privy to the gossiping, elderly ladies of the marketplace. The rumors about them was bad enough as it was.

"I can't tell you, Ino-pig. It's just too embarrassing." Sakura whispered.

Ino frowned in dissatisfaction. "You do realize, Forehead, that now I _have_ to know."

Sakura had forgotten about Ino's need to know everything. Saying no was the equivalent of preventing Naruto from getting his daily dose of Ichiraku ramen. If Ino knew, however, new gossip would sprout, and the death-glares her nurses kept giving her would never end. That was not something she wanted.

"Please, Ino, don't do this." She begged.

"Wait, did he try to have sex with you?"

"My god, Ino-pig, no! It was nothing like that!"

Ino was determined, though. She knew there were other, much more painful methods to get the information out of Sakura, having trained under both her father and Ibiki in the arts of interrogation. If Ino really wished to, she could use a special technic that would give her to opportunity to dig through Sakura's mind and learn what secret she was attempting to keep from her about the Uchiha. It was unethical, of course, to use such jutsu on her own best friend, just to know what had transpired between Sakura and Itachi, but if it was necessary, Ino knew she could resort to it.

"Do I have to hunt down Itachi and ask him?"

Much to Ino's pleasure, this was enough break Sakura. Her eyes widened in horror at the mere thought of the blond kunoichi and the Uchiha heir interacting. It would end with explosive results, and Itachi would run at the very sight of her.

Sakura sighed, knowing when she had been defeated. "Fine, but if I hear that this is suddenly being whispered around the village, I will come for you, and beat you to a bloody pulp," she growled defensively. Ino rose her hands innocently, as if to surrender. Sakura knew that the blond was just glad to hear this new tidbit.

Her shoulders slumped. "His mother had sent him to my room to deliver a home cooked

dinner, knowing that the food I would be given at the hospital was not very pliable. He walked in, and found me crying about my failure on that mission." Sakura began slowly, unable to look Ino in the eye, when she had that concerned inspection honed in on her.

"Oh, Sakura," Ino murmured, knowing well enough how Sakura still had issues with her confidence, no thanks to a rocky childhood. She may have grown as a kunoichi, and was able to stand her own against most respectable shinobi in Konoha, but Ino was well aware that she was still terrified of judgement.

"I told him to go away, but he stayed. That bastard tried to take the blame for what happened on the mission, the selfish prick. I couldn't even save one child from the enemy, and he dared to say it was his fault I had almost died. I was pissed off, and emotionally distraught, and part of me has no idea how it even happened, but one moment, we were standing at opposite sides of the room, and the next, I was crying into his chest."

Ino gaped at her, obviously stunned. "He...let you do that?"

Again, Sakura felt her cheeks burn. "Yeah," she muttered. "He was actually very gentle, and sort of sweet about it. I was making a mess of his shirt, and he didn't care at all. He didn't even stop me when I hugged him. I think he might have held me back, too, and didn't say a thing through the hour that I cried. I didn't even know he was able to do something like that."

Ino was so utterly silent, it made Sakura worried, and she looked up from the vase of daisies to the shocked blond. Awkwardly, she decided to continue, not sure what to do with the silence.

"Afterwards, he didn't say a thing about it, and gave me his mother's bento. We ended up sitting on my bed, sharing the meal he had brought, and talking for so long, we lost track of time. He told me what had happened, according to Shisui, what had happened after we left Bird, and we talked about everything under the sun. I had no idea that Itachi was talkative, when he wants to be."

Ino finally managed to say something. "You honestly think that he doesn't like you? No man, shinobi or not, would let you do that, unless he felt something, Forehead."

Sakura pursed her lips. "He's been avoiding me since that happened, Ino-pig. Obviously, he isn't interested."

Ino shook her head. Sakura still had so much to learn, she supposed tiredly.

* * *

It was her fault, and Sakura knew it.

Her mother was into her nineteenth week of gestation, when suddenly, tragedy struck with a force she could not have expected. She had been monitoring her mother very closely, yet, despite being a talented medic-nin, she could not do anything. Tsunade, if she had been there, would have told her that sometimes, there was a point where a medic could not do something. It still wouldn't have helped her. She was such a failure.

Sakura had been in her office, attending to some paperwork that Tsunade had neglected for over a month. As annoying as it was, Sakura knew it was for the good of the hospital, and willingly did her part to keep it running. Sometimes, it really felt as if Tsunade was allergic to paper and ink. Yet, she never complained.

She had been frustrated, when not twenty minutes after sitting down to the mountainous stack of papers needing her attention, there was a frantic drumming of knuckles on her door. Sakura had growled under her breath, but told the nurse to enter. Miki, her head nurse, flew the door open, practically falling inside the small, cramped office. Clearly, there was some sort of emergency.

Sakura had been tempted to tell her that whatever medic were on shift were more than capable of handling the situation, having assisted with the training of most of them. Miki hardly gave her the chance to brush her off though, and immediately gave her message.

"Haruno-sensei, there's a woman in the OR, who is undergoing a spontaneous abortion," she managed to breath out, "and your assistance is required this instant."

With a sigh, Sakura stood, cracking her knuckles. Miscarriages were never very pretty, but this would not be the first Sakura had to deal with, and she knew she could handle it with the same professional indifference she treated every other issue she met in the Operating Room. She had little appreciation for death, and wished it were possible to save every patient that entered the hospital, but knew it was unrealistic. There was always going to be losses, no matter how advanced medicine became.

"Give me her stats. How many weeks into gestation?"

For a moment, Miki seemed to hesitate. "She's nineteen weeks in, and thirty-six years old. This isn't her first miscarriage either, according to her husband, she has a case of habitual abortion. The medic running the OR believes she has a uterine malformation, but it is also possible that there is an issue with the placenta or umbilical cord, which would make it easier to save the fetus."

Sakura's pace quickened without her realizing it, and Miki did her best to keep up. "What did you say the patient's name was, again?" She asked. This situation felt much familiar, considering the fact her head nurse had just described someone she was very close with. _Her own mother._

"I didn't say, Haruno-sensei," Miki replied breathlessly, having to run to keep up with the worried medic.

"Give me her name, Miki." She demanded forcefully.

"Haruno Momoka."

It was just as she had suspected. Biting her lip, Sakura threw the doors open, putting a tunic on over her vest and skirt, pulling on a pair of gloves. The scene she had been greeted by was nothing short of horrifying. Her father was ringing his hands anxiously, doing his best to maintain composure, while her mother, laying on the bed, was bathed in sweat, and quickly draining of precious, precious blood.

If this was any other woman, Sakura knew what she would have done. It was her mother though, and even if it was a breech of protocol for her to even operate on a family member, she had to face the truth. If she saved the fetus, her mother would die, and if she saved her mother, the fetus, her own sibling, would die. Sakura wished she was capable of remaining detached in this sort of situation, but this was not something she had ever seen before, not from her own family.

Despite her emotional involvement she had managed to outwardly seem calm, at least in front of the other medics. "Miki," she started slowly, "please escort Haruno-san out of the OR, and stay with him in the waiting room. I will call him back when it is appropriate."

Miki seemed surprised by this, and looked as if she were about to argue, considering these were Sakura's own parents, but knew better. Sakura watched as her father was led away from the Operating Room, uncertain if she was going to be able to mentally handle what she had to do.

Confidently, she stepped up to the table, summoning a heavy dosage of healing chakra to her hands, and pressing them to her mother's abdomen. Silently, she closed her eyes in concentration, chakra inspecting her mother's womb in search of the issue. As Miki had already told her, it was very clear that her mother had a uterine malformation. Even if she wanted to attempt at inducing labor, the fetus's lungs were underdeveloped, and would not survive life outside the uterus. There was no hope.

Sakura had been stupid though, and decided to hope anyway. If there was any chance at saving her mother and sibling, she would go for it. She had only to look at her mother's face, strained and in pain, to reach a conclusion.

Try as she might, Sakura had not been able to save the fetus. In the end, she had only made more of a mess, and put her own mother under more pain than what had been necessary.

Sakura stared down at her hands, covered in the blood of her own mother. She could not possibly face her father now. Her mother had nearly died in labor, and the fetus had not survived, dead before even leaving the womb. She had known that this would be ugly, but had foolishly tried anyway, wanting to cling to what probability there was that she would succeed. It had not worked though.

She should have followed her instincts, and removed the fetus, instead of torturing her mother.

She had to get out of there. Sakura would not be able to hold in her misery and grief if she stayed, and that would only result in her making herself into an even bigger fool. Her mother was stable, and would survive. That would have to be good enough. Not even bothering to remove the bloodied gloves and tunic, she fled from the room. She could not let anyone see her like this.

Somehow, she had managed to avoid all human contact, reaching the deep, dark forest surrounding Konoha with ease, despite the tears blocking her vision. She was not sure why she had gone there, and how she had even remembered the way, since she had not seen this part of the forest since she was eight, but by instinct, Sakura found herself in the empty training grounds where Itachi had first helped her.

Leaning against that powerful elm for support, a loud, choked sob broke through her lips, an eruption of tears following. Could she do nothing? This was the second time within the _month _that she had failed to save an innocent child, and this time, she had learnt her place. She did not belong in the hospital, or in the field. Everyone was right, because she was not meant to be a kunoichi at all. She should have listened to her parents before, when they had told her that becoming a shinobi would never make her happy, because they were right.

She had been too stubborn though, doing exactly what she wanted, disregarding logic for the sake of her own, presumptuous dreams. People did not always get what they wanted, and she was a perfect example of that.

Sakura was not given very long to be miserable though, because within minutes of her arriving at what she had thought would be the perfect sanctuary to allow herself to break down, a stunned, scarily familiar voice called out to her.

"Haruno-san," she heard him say in a tone of astonishment, "what happened?"

* * *

AN: I'm going to guess that you guys all hate me about right now. Not only did I take FOREVER to update, but I killed off another baby, and left it with something of a cliffhanger. I'm awful, I know, but that was my plan from the beginning. Don't your keyboards at me! *hides behind computer screen*

I would like to thank everyone who has left me a review! It is such an honor to read what wonderful things you have to say! (of course, after this chapter, I'm going to guess you won't have such wonderful things to tell me...)

Reviews are like food for starving artists!


	10. Jumping Into Overdrive

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto.

* * *

Give till there's nothing left, value in every breath,

You need to realize that bleeding is a luxury.

* * *

Sakura did not need to turn to know that it was Itachi who had spoken. She should have been able to predict that he, of all people, would find her like this again. Not only was this the training grounds where she had first met the Uchiha heir, and he was likely to use this area frequently, but he also seemed to have a knack for finding her every time it felt like she could be alone to have a good cry. It was unfair of him, really, to continuously be bugging her, each time she decided to show some sort of weakness.

She heard him get closer, as he intentionally stepped on a dried leaf, so when he suddenly stood behind her, she would not be startled. This was not what she wanted. Sakura needed to be alone, to process what had happened, but he was so determined to invade her privacy. Another sob tore through her throat, and even when he was so close that she could feel the heat radiating off him, she did not turn to face him.

Something in her ignoring him bothered Itachi, and he was unsure why that was. That feeling he was learning to abhor was rising his chest, making him want to reach over, grab her by the shoulders, and make her face him by force. He was uncertain of what had happened to her, since she refused to make any response to his question, but he could tell that it had been something bad.

He now was familiar enough with this strange sensation in his chest to know that he could not leave until he knew just what was bothering her. For reasons he could not yet ascertain, Haruno Sakura appeared to matter to him. To what degree, he did not know, and the reason for this feeling still seemed to elude him. For a moment, he stared at her back, realizing she was wearing the smock medics often wore while in surgery. Something had to have occurred at the hospital, to put her in such a distressed state to be crying.

"Ha-" He had to correct himself. "Sakura, tell me what happened at the hospital."

She gave him little response besides a shake of her head, meant to be a negative. He was not going to take _no _as an answer, though. He tried to be gentle, really, in curling his long fingers about her small arms and twisting her around. He was flabbergasted by the vast amounts of blood covering her, from her face, to her arms, down her slight form. She was bathing in the crimson liquid, and if he even touched her, he would be washed in it as well.

"Sakura," he murmured, "who's blood is this?"

When he saw the pitiful expression on her face, he did not care about the blood as much. She met his gaze, as if to ask him to say no more, because she was not ready to share anything. Silently, he agreed to not question her further, at least not for the moment. When she had calmed down, she would probably tell him anything he wanted to hear.

Meticulously, he took one arm, unrolling the gloves she had up to her elbows, and discarding them both. It hardly mattered that she had worn them at all, because the blood had managed to seep in from the seam, and she was still covered in the blood. Carefully, he reached behind her to untie the operating frock that she had put on to prevent the blood from getting on her clothes. Of course, to remove it from her, he had covered himself with the blood, so when she helplessly sought his warmth, it had proven itself pointless.

She pressed her body against him in a way that he found hardly appropriate, but when she wound her arms around her this time, he knew what he was supposed to do, and did not hesitate to return the gesture. He could not believe that she was so willingly taking comfort from him again, not caring what it would look like. No one was going to discover them this deep in the forest, but it hardly concerned him either way.

For a few minutes, she was content in smothering herself into his chest, unintentionally wiping off the blood from her cheeks. He did not mind so much, even though this shirt happened to be _white, _and the stains probably would not come out again. He was not sure if this was simply her way of releasing her anguish, or if she wanted him to know her thoughts, but after a good ten minutes, she seemed to turn hysterical, and he hardly knew what to do with it.

"It was my mother," she started quietly. "This isn't the first time she's had a miscarriage, either. It's become habitual with her, and even I was not born under normal circumstances. I didn't know until today, but I was born prematurely, which probably is why my stupid forehead is so goddamned huge." Sakura continued, her voice gaining volume.

He remained mute, knowing it was best that she got this out now, rather than her bottling these feelings up.

"I was the only medic on shift that was capable of giving her a fighting chance," she blubbered, "and I failed her." Sakura grieved a moment longer. "I...I should have been able to save her!" She hollered, hands gripping his shirt tightly. She buried her face again, unable to look up.

"I was trained by Tsunade! I should have been able to handle something like this, but I'm just a fucking failure!" She shouted, "I'm so goddamned stupid! I couldn't even handle something like this! I still can't even protect the people who matter! Why the hell did I become a medic to begin with, if I can't do this much?"

Itachi's hold tightened around her as he squeezed slightly, hoping to give her that comfort she so desperately needed. He wanted to tell her that it was not true, that she was one of the best medics he knew, but at the same time, he was well aware what it would look like. She would just assume he was talking out of his ass to help her feel better about herself, and he did not want her to think that.

"I'm just an idiot, to have become a ninja to begin with," she added angrily. "But what if my mother's problem is somehow hereditary?" Sakura asked anxiously. Itachi did not like where this was heading, but did not know how to prevent it. "What if I can't ever have children because of it? Maybe that's a good thing, because I would have just fucked up my own kids like I have my own life, but what if I want to have children one day? Is that no longer possible for me? My mother was always asking for grandchildren, and what if I'm never able to provide that?"

Her onslaught of questions were not directed towards him, and he knew that, but somehow, they seemed to pester Itachi. As if he wanted these things for her. While he did not like what that implied, he also did not appreciate what Sakura was doing to herself. He had to stop her before she broke completely, and she was heading down that path rather quickly.

"Sakura," he whispered in her pink locks, only to be ignored.

"I don't know what I'll do if I can't have kids! No man wants a woman who is unable to conceive, and-

Irritated to say the least, he pulled her up, so she looked into his eyes. "Sakura," he seethed, leaning down to speak into her ear, "you need to shut up."

Sakura was so shocked, she actually listened to him. He had never had called her anything but _Haruno, _except for the one time he had called her by her given name when comforting her for the first time, so for him to do so now felt strange. She was not sure if she liked the way his tongue seemed to curl over each syllable, his tone smooth and velvety. She did not know what it meant, either, that he had told her to shut up. He had never been particularly rude. Standoffish, yes, but not rude to her face; not blunt like that.

"Excuse me?" She breathed, staring up at him. His eyebrows pulled together in a glower, making all her muscles tense. He had never given her such an intense look before. It had only been that of annoyance, but this time, he was enraged, and she did not know what she had done to cause that. Did he think she was seeking compliments? That she was saying these things about herself in the hope he would say otherwise?

"Don't say that about yourself. It will only make matters worse, and you damn well know it."

Another first. Sakura had never before heard him curse, and had just assumed he was too uptight to swear.

Itachi still had no idea why he even bothered. If she wanted to fall into the pits of despair, who was he to stop her? She had every right to be miserable, if that was what she wished to do. So why did it upset him so much that she was tearing herself apart over this? He just could not bear to see her do this to herself. It was simply unacceptable.

He let out a heavy sigh at the amazed look she was giving him. She probably could not believe what he was doing, which he could not blame her for, because he could not either. Itachi could only conclude that he had finally become insane. It had certainly taken long enough.

"You can't expect yourself to be perfect, Sakura. If it had been any other woman who had lost their child, you would have accepted that it had not been possible for you to do anything but save the mother. So don't do this to yourself."

She already knew this, but to hear him say this sparked something in her. Fury turned her vision red, her fists clenching as she pulled away from him. "I'm _sorry _if I can't be as objective as you are, Uchiha, but that was my mother, and I couldn't save my own sibling! Can you honestly expect me to act as if nothing happened, and that I should be fine with an unnecessary death?" She snarled, taking a step back.

Itachi took the step between them, pulling her fists up from her sides. This was not the reaction he had anticipated, but it was understandable that she would interpret him in such a cold, calculating manner. He had become good at hiding his emotions, and never let anything slip through his carefully placed, blank wall of defense.

"No, Sakura," he whispered, unbending her fingers from their fists with painstaking care. "It is perfectly rational for you to wish to grieve the early death of your only sibling, and I can understand your justification in believing you are to blame, but I will not allow you to trample yourself over this."

She opened her mouth to say more, to tell him to fuck off, and that this was none of his business anyway, but when he looked at her with all the compassion he could possible hold, Sakura found herself muted by its potency. She could not interrupt him, knowing he had more to tell her. She was not sure why, but it did not feel right to speak without letting him do so first.

"Now, listen to me. One day, you _will _have children, if that is what you want, and you cannot tell yourself otherwise. You are a perfectly capable medic, so don't give up your duties because of what happened to your mother."

A thoughtful silence arose as he lifted a hand to her face, wiping what blood away that he could, pressing two fingers to what he supposed to be a larger than average forehead. "As for your other, outlasting concern, I would not call your forehead stupid."

Again, all was silent. She had nothing to say anymore, because it no longer felt relevant. Pathetically enough, she sniffled, her eyes blurring as they teared up again. She bit her lip, looking down to hide her face in shame. No one had ever said anything so..._beautiful _to her, and she was not sure how to respond. Perhaps most girls would not have considered that his scolding was all that lovely, but she always had been different.

Suddenly, she felt so tired, so exhausted by the eventful day. Part of her wanted to crawl into bed and sleep, but she knew she could not return home. Not yet, when all she wanted was to hide from everything she knew. She did not deserve the comfort of her own home. There was no where else that she could possibly go, though, and so she guessed that she was going to have to manage.

Itachi observed the kunoichi, catching her as she began to lose her balance. She must have lost much more chakra in the Operating Room than he had originally thought.

"You must really think I'm an idiot, right, Itachi?"

For a moment, he froze, because of the sound of his own name on her lips. It was the second time she had ever dared call him anything but a sarcastic _Uchiha, _and it sent a wave of heat he could not comprehend through his veins. He had given up on trying to understand why Sakura always gave him the most unusual sensations, though, and allowed his mouth to curve upwards in a satisfied smirk.

"No, not at all," he practically purred, lifting her into his chest while keeping a sturdy arm under the soft bend of her knee, and the other holding her back straight and upright. She seemed to gulp in response to this, too uncomfortable to meet his gaze. He was fine with this, especially when she instinctively wrapped an arm around his neck to stay in place. Why this gave him such inexplicable pleasure, Itachi did not know.

With ease, he turned, leaving the forest to enter the busy streets of Konoha with little show of discomfort.

* * *

Mikoto, being a worthy kunoichi in her time, and the mother to two, very infamous shinobi, was rarely taken by surprise. She had seen her fair share of blood and gore, and was not one to cringe at the sight of it. Itachi and Sasuke had returned home multiple times with troublesome wounds that should have put them in the hospital, and so she had plenty of experience with patching people up when necessary.

However, when her eldest son, drenched in blood, walked through the threshold of her clean-swept home with a kunoichi, equally wet through, draped in his arms, she could not help that her breath caught in her throat. It did not appear that either were injured, so that put her ease for a moment, until she had to wonder how they had both gotten soaked to the bone, if they were not hurt.

"Itachi-chan! What on earth happened? It looks like you both rolled around in a slaughterhouse!"

Her son did not give her any answers, before carefully handing her the sleeping kunoichi. "Okaa-san, could you please help Sakura bathe? I do not see it appropriate for me to do so." He said calmly, before gently moving pink strands of hair from her dirty face. She blinked up at him for a moment, both bewildered and shocked, before nodding her head.

"I want some sort of explanation after I get her cleaned and in bed." Mikoto said sternly, before carrying off the small female. Itachi watched as they disappeared around the corner, heading in the direction of the guest bathroom. He lifted the collar of his casual, white tee, his nose crinkling in disgust. His mother had been right, because he certainly _smelled _as if he had rolled around in blood.

Without further thought, he made his way to the other bathroom with every intention in completely cleansing himself.

He could hear the water running in the guest bathroom as he passed it, his mother already preparing a bath.

Mikoto heard as her son passed the bathroom, and she could not help staring down at the sleeping Sakura he had brought home. She was beautiful, and from what she could tell, had attracted the attention of Itachi. It was adorable, in the innocent sort of way, that her son had not felt at ease with undressing her and washing the delicate female himself.

It did not bother Mikoto at all, because she was becoming rather convinced that Sakura was very likely to one day become his bride, and eventually, Itachi would have to bed her. Chances were, he already wanted to, and that was his reasoning for not cleaning her up himself. Itachi was much too respectable to dare take advantage of a woman.

She smiled at the thought, slowly lowering the filthy kunoichi into the warm water. Taking a soft cloth, Mikoto dipped it into the water, dabbing it onto her face. She nearly giggled when Sakura stirred, nearly screaming at her surroundings. Mikoto could hardly blame her; it must have been strange to suddenly wake up, naked, in a bath, and the mother of a man who was very possibly courting her wiping her face with a washcloth.

Embarrassed, the kunoichi, lifted her hands to cover herself, though there was hardly a point, which she seemed to realize after taking in the situation a little better. "I'm sorry, Mikoto-san, but how exactly did I get here?" She asked anxiously.

Mikoto laughed with good humor. "Itachi-chan has not told me what happened, but he handed you over to me, so you could bathe. I don't think he thought it proper to do it himself." She answered, giving her a wink for good measure. Sakura blushed at the idea of waking up to find _Itachi _leaning over her with a cloth, wiping away blood and grime, but immediately brushed the thought from her mind.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Thank you Mikoto-san, but now that I'm awake, I think I can bathe myself." She said.

The Uchiha matriarch nodded her head in agreement, giving a bright, warm smile. "Of course, Sakura-chan," she answered, standing up. "There is a set of yukata in the cupboard above the toilet, and since I have a feeling you will want to fall back asleep soon, you can take the spare room across from Sasuke's. If you aren't up for dinner, I'll leave leftovers in the refrigerator."

With that said, Mikoto left the young woman to her own devices. The spare room was always prepared for guests, since whenever someone did stay the night, it was rarely planned. She instead returned to the kitchen, where she had left a pot of miso soup on the stove. Itachi would have to return eventually, when he had cleaned himself up, and she would get the explanations then. Mikoto, much like her son, was a very patient individual, but when she wanted something nothing stopped her from getting it.

She stirred the pot of miso, before putting the lid back on, and stepping to the refrigerator to take out ingredients for dinner. Five minutes after she had put fresh fish on the frying pan, Itachi had emerged, looking as if he had taken a through shower, and found a new set of clothes to dress in. He had been about to sit down at the table, undoubtedly to brood, when she waved him over to where she was standing.

Mikoto could not leave her cooking, but she was under the impression that the subject she was about to touch was sensitive, and she wanted to be able to make eye contact with him. Much to her aggravation, he jumped up to sit on her _clean counter, _inching away slightly from the hot stove range. She supposed she could allow it this time, but only if he was willing to share what had happened.

He was quiet though, even if he knew what she wanted to know, and it appeared that he was going to need some prompting. "Itachi-chan, are you going to tell me precisely why you and Sakura-chan returned home looking as if someone had dumped a quart of blood over you two?"

Itachi sighed, and she could easily tell that he would much rather not tell her anything, even if it meant not getting a warm meal. Not that she would ever prevent her son from eating, but it was, at times, a wonderful threat. She was well aware of how much Itachi loved her cooking. It appeared, however, that she was not going to need to use that sort ultimatum.

"She was at the training grounds when I got there. I found her like that, and had to take the over-wear she had put on earlier when in the Operating Room. I ended up getting the blood on myself by removing her gloves and smock. All I had known was that it was still..._fresh." _In all the years of Itachi returning home, drenched in the blood of someone he had killed, Mikoto had never seen him grimace in revulsion. Not until now, had she seen such a thing.

He let out a long, shaky sigh, running a hand through his still-damp hair, before meeting her calm gaze. "It was her mother. She had a miscarriage, and Sakura was the one who had to deal with it. She had gone there, of all places, afterwards. She was horrified, and I don't know what she could have done to herself if I hadn't found her there."

"Why there, of all places? Why does that matter, Itachi-chan?"

He paused, uncertain if he should really tell his mother what the place meant. He could not think of any real reason to not tell her, though. "It was the place where I first met Sakura, when she was still in the academy." He replied quietly.

Itachi really did not want to hear what his mother believed this meant. She would probably jump to conclusions, and say something ridiculous, like Sakura had _wanted _him to find her there. Which he knew was not true. "I didn't like seeing her like that, and I couldn't let her go home, not after she said such terrible things about herself. She might have hurt herself, intentionally or not." He hesitated for a moment, knowing his mother would want to know what Sakura had said about herself.

It felt somehow personal, and that he should not share such things with her. It had worried him though, that Sakura had thought so poorly of herself because of the notion that she would be incapable of bearing a child. He may not have been a medic, so his theory was not worth very much, but Itachi did not believe that Sakura was likely to miscarry because of her mother's problem. Of course, his mother would probably know better, being a woman, and having given birth to two children of her own.

"Sakura is now under the impression that she is infertile, and that no man would want to involve themselves with her because of this assumption." Itachi muttered, his dark eyes staring down at the floor beyond his feet. He heard his mother gasp in surprise, and was unsurprised when she gently placed a hand on his knee.

"What do you think about this, Itachi-chan? Do you believe this as well?"

He looked her square in the eye. "No, I do not," he whispered. "I already told her she would bear a child."

* * *

It was dark. Sakura had to think for a moment about where exactly she was. The sheets were much to silky to be her own, and she knew of only one who owned something so exquisite. The Uchiha main house. Nothing was good enough for them, and she realized that the matriarch had helped her get into a bath earlier. Sasuke's mother-_Itachi's mother-_had seen her naked, had stripped her herself. Somehow, this felt completely different from if she had run into Mikoto at the bathhouse.

Slowly, not wanting to dizzy herself, Sakura sat upwards, holding a hand to head. She was dehydrated, and her blood sugar was low. Sakura could not tell what time it was, but it was probably some time early in the morning, just past midnight. Her chakra reserves were still wavering slightly, but that was probably because she needed some sort of sustenance.

Huffing, she stood, recalling that she had gone to bed in the pale, blue yukata Mikoto had kindly provided for her to sleep in earlier. She pulled the material closer and tied the obi a little more securely around herself, in the chance that she ran into someone. She really did not want to give a certain Uchiha heir a view. Sasuke she probably would not have minded so much, since all the members of Team Seven had bathed together, and they really had no reason to be uncomfortable around each other.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, she slid the shoji screen open and slipped into the hall. Across from her, she could tell that Sasuke was still asleep, and could even hear his soft snoring. Itachi's room was still as well, which really did not mean much, but satisfied her nonetheless. Avoiding creaks in the smooth, wood flooring, Sakura crept along, knowing this hallway well enough to not make much sound.

She slid into the kitchen with grace, sneaking to the refrigerator, where Mikoto had told her that she would put leftovers, should she not make it to the dinner table. Sakura was pleased to find a plate of onigiri, prepared with the extra rice, pickles and salmon, each wrapped together with a strip of nori. Grinning to herself, she stole the plate from its place on the top shelf, and took it to the table.

Rather pleased with herself, she counted a grand total of ten on the plate, before clapping her hands together enthusiastically and whispering _itadakimasu _into the dark kitchen. Nothing could ruin this moment, of that she was certain. She devoured the first with fervor, enjoying the saltiness of the salmon, before snatching a second, practically moaning with pleasure at how marvelous it tasted. It was a good thing she was alone.

It was not until about half way through her third, however, that she realized how wrong she really was, because there was a faint chuckle she recognized all too easily. Her head lashed around violently, coming face to face with an extremely amused Uchiha Itachi, who could hardly contain his subdued laughter when seeing her full, chipmunk cheeks, and the grains of sticky, white rice sticking to them. Embarrassed at being caught shoveling her meal, she struggled to swallow the mouthful of onigiri, and once having choked it down, he had already gotten her a glass of water to follow it.

Feeling that he was making fun of her with that muffled chuckle, she gracelessly took it from him, only nodding her head in thanks, before draining it completely. She set it back down with a clink, before meeting his dark, smothering regard with very little confidence. His scrutiny of her was not as cold and clinical as she had expected, and much to her surprise, she could read into his genuine concern, and it made her feel almost childish, compared to him. His life was neat and orderly, perfect, even, while everything she ended up touching fell apart, leaving her in shambles.

"You feel better now?" He asked tenderly, his eyes softening with his gentle tone. Sakura had to wonder, for a moment, what right he had to look at her like that, but she did not dare question it. It made her feel light and pleasant, so unlike any other sensation she had ever gotten while around the Uchiha heir.

"A little," she admitted quietly, looking down at her hands, where she had rested on her lap. "Thank you for not letting me go home. I don't think I would have been able to handle it, being alone." She continued self-consciously, making her inquire herself silently. He had never calmed her before, not like this. What was with this Uchiha?

He sat down next to her, his stance utterly casual as he reached for the plate of onigiri and snatched one for himself. "I could not allow you to return to your apartment, knowing there was a possibility, however slight, that you could somehow hurt yourself. I hope you do not consider it presumptuous of me, to bring you here, when I could have given you to a closer friend."

She shook her head, a weak smile only just barely lighting her eyes. "If you had given me to Naruto or Ino, they would not have been able to keep themselves from asking what the hell had happened. They probably would have blamed you, and I don't want them to do that." She breathed, unable to meet his stare. Sakura was almost afraid of what she would find there, if she dared to look.

Itachi chewed thoughtfully, questioning her comment. She did not want them to blame him. What in the world did that mean? Was she concerned for him, as much as he was for her? He had to shake his head of such traitorous thoughts, because it honestly did not matter _what _she thought about him. It was not going to change anything. Was it? He did not need to be examining everything she said to him, because it was surely going to run him mad.

"Why would that bother you?" He could not help asking.

Instantly, her head shot up, and her bright, green eyes met his with a force he had not anticipated. "Because it isn't true. It wasn't your fault." She returned righteously.

Again, he was amused. Sakura was such an interesting kunoichi, truly a rare breed. His curiosity piqued, he reached his free hand, almost touching her face, before wavering for a moment, and instead peeling the grains of rice from her cheeks. Her reaction to that, and his _eating _the rice, was positively delightful. Stunned, she had stared up at him with a sort of innocence he was unable to not find captivating, before the most beguiling flush reddened her pale cheeks.

Instinctively, something swelled in him uncontrollably, an urge to do something he had never done before almost overpowering. He could sense that he was practically emanating masculine gusto, and while he would have predicted her shying away from him, she did the unforeseeable, instead deciding to inch closer to him. A certain pride he could not understand seeped from his bones, pushing him to move for her, to wreathe her with a heat that was beating in his ears.

He was not the sort to do this kind of thing. His experience in such areas were nonexistent, and he suspected that Sakura was not very different, in this case. That urge was not going to leave him though, and would fester in his chest, if he let it be. Tentatively, he pulled her forward by the shoulders, observing her as her green eyes hazed over in the heat of the moment, those dark, rosy eyelashes fluttering as her eyelids drooped slightly.

Itachi did not know what he was supposed to do with the dazed female in his grip, but dropped his face closer to hers, his nose just barely grazing hers. Unconsciously, he tilted his face, nearing closer to those rosebud, plump lips, watching heatedly as they parted. Slowly, he hovered over her mouth, listening with desire as she sucked in sharply, eyes closing completely. Strangely enough, he _wanted _this, craved it with an unfamiliar hunger.

He came so close, he almost felt the warmth of her soft lips against his. It was then that he heard the creak of someone carelessly stepping down the hallway, heading in their very direction. Despite his yearning for her, to taste her so throughly, he could not, knowing someone was going to walk in on them. He would have to wait to do this again at a later date, when he was certain no one would interrupt.

Itachi redirected, pressing his lips to her broad forehead instead, before releasing the tempting female, and downright disappearing from the kitchen.

It suddenly struck her, what had almost just happened. She could have very easily been kissed by Uchiha Itachi. She was not yet certain if she should be feeling this disappointment or not, that Itachi had not kissed her lips, like he had been about to. The unwanted reason for his not doing so, quickly made itself known when Sasuke groggily entered the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and yawning. She had to prevent herself from frowning up at him.

"What was _his royal bitchiness _doing down here, besides hogging all the onigiri with you?" He grumbled, taking Itachi's place at the table. The difference in company was astounding, and she was shocked at herself, for preferring the previous Uchiha's presence to her own teammate's. Sakura did not at first respond, mutedly watching as he, much like his brother had, reached across to grab an onigiri from the plate.

He grunted. "So, what the hell just happened with my brother?"

Abruptly, she stood, not sure what to even do with herself. It sort of slipped, without her thinking. "I think I almost just kissed Itachi."

Sasuke's jaw slackened in incredulity, his eyes wide and horrified. When she realized just who she had told that to, she turned wordlessly, leaving him to the plate of onigiri, and the worst information she could have ever bestowed upon him. He was never going to let this go, and she already knew it. It was only a matter of time before he told Naruto, and then all hell would break lose.

Sakura carelessly slammed the shoji screen to the guest room shut, not caring who heard her cry of indignation, even if she tried to stifle it in her pillow. Why did her life have to be so goddamned complicated? It so was not fair.

* * *

AN: It's official. I have no life. But who cares, really? I'm not sure when the next update will be again, but I can promise it won't be nearly as fast as this one. (sorry!) This one was kicking my ass, and would not leave me alone until I had it all out.

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! It is much appreciated. :D


	11. Out of Breath

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

But after this I feel as empty as the night before, feel the pain and yet I'm still begging for more.

Masochistic, nihilistic, urging backward thought; my life's a mess and I can't find a way to fix it.

* * *

The Godaime Hokage stared first at her top interrogators, Morino Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi, along with Ino, standing at attention. While disappointed, Tsunade was not completely surprised that, despite their best efforts, they had not been able to squeeze anything useful from the two Akatsuki members they had locked up in the bowels of ANBU Headquarters. This did not mean she was not frustrated by the fact two criminals had, as of yet, bested the top, Konoha-nin in the field of interrogation.

Lacking all self-control, Tsunade clenched her fists in a form of intimidation, before turning to Nara Shikamaru, who was in line to become the next head of her Strategy and Tactics Department, following in the footsteps of his father, the current head. If he could not come up with a solution, Tsunade could always turn to the ever elusive Shikaku Nara, of course, but she would much rather push the new generation, so they could emerge as more powerful shinobi class. It was them that were going to have to take over, some day, and it was best to prepare them for that, even if they were still practically children.

"Hokage-sama," Shikamaru drawled, "there is a possibility that Akatsuki, having two of their members held captive, will retaliate. Their organization, based on Jiraiya-sama's intelligence, is likely to be small, and every member is precious. With Akasuna no Sasori now dead, they will be desperate to get back the others." He droned on lazily, shoulders hunched and eyes drooping, giving the genius Nara a look of disinterest.

Tsunade tightened her fists even more tightly, before letting out a small sigh, and releasing them, instead folding her fingers together delicately. "How long do you predict it will take for them to realize that Yakushi Kabuto and Deidara have been apprehended?" She asked, already feeling pressure building behind her temples. Was it too early to break out the sake? The sun was _almost_ up...

He responded with a short shrug. "With the small amount of information we have on Akatsuki, it's impossible to tell. We would have to know how often, and in what way they communicate with each other, as well as the actual size of their organization. If they are larger than what we have estimated, then the Akatsuki members we have in custody may be expendable. Without prying any more details from Yakushi and Deidara, it will be difficult to predict their next move."

Tsunade allowed this to mull over, nibbling on her lip unconsciously. Akatsuki had only just appeared a few years back, and even so, Konoha's data on their criminally based organization was minimal. So far, all information on Akatsuki had remained in the dark, only a select few being knowledgeable about what could have been their largest threat. So far, they did not know their intentions, however, so their was no point in having this information shared. It was only a few months ago that they had really become active.

The team of chunin Sakura had treated for poison a while back had been put into her care no thanks to the nuke-nin of Akatsuki, and that was just the start of it. In the time her apprentice had spent in Kusa, four more teams had returned to Konoha, each of them having had an unexpected run-in with strange, cloaked nuke-nin. It was unusual, if you asked her.

They had to have been getting their orders from someone, because this was not random at all. It was always a chunin team that was attacked, and they always returned to the village on the brink of death, but never so much that they could not be saved. They always gave the same story as well, explaining that their attackers had struck just miles outside of Konoha territory, had beaten them senseless, then disappearing from whence they came, leaving the job half finished. So far, no one had died, thanks to Akatsuki, and Tsunade had to wonder what it meant.

She huffed, having come to no useful conclusion. "So what do you suggest, considering our methods of questioning have not given us any results yet, Nara?"

Shikamaru was quiet for a moment, contemplating all possible actions, and the outcomes for each. It did not take him very long to come to the best solution. "So far, our tactics for interrogating the Akatsuki captives have involved high-level mind-jutsu, most of which used by the Yamanaka clan. What we have not yet tried, however, is a different sort of method used to manipulate the human psyche. I propose we call in the assistance of a genjutsu-specialist from the Uchiha clan."

She paused for a moment, thinking this over for a moment, before agreeing. There was definitely a chance that an Uchiha could break through the damnable resolve of the two Akatsuki members Konoha had locked up. It would mean debriefing another shinobi on Konoha's current situation with that group of criminals, which she would much rather not do, but the intelligence gained was worth the drawbacks.

"Very well, Nara. Who did you have in mind?"

An idle smirk tilted his lips upward, indicating that he had already chosen someone for this purpose.

"Uchiha Itachi."

* * *

Words could not describe his inner dissatisfaction. He had really wanted to see how she would react to seeing him in the morning, but unfortunately, duty called. This had to have been the first time Itachi had ever felt any remorse for his responsibilities as a shinobi, and by now, he was learning to accept his changes in attitude because of Sakura. It was because of her that everything felt different to him now.

He was still slightly upset about the interruption of his brother in his could-have-been kiss with Sakura, but he knew it was partially his own fault. Itachi had been too hesitant, and then he had tried to savor that moment before contact for too long, until the moment was lost, and sounds of his brother's quick approach awoke him. Part of him wondered what Sakura's expression had been like, after he had pulled away and in a flash, disappeared.

He had no doubt that she would have been blushing. He would have liked to have seen that, but being caught by his brother with Sakura was not something he wanted to happen. Sasuke was already suspicious of his unusual interest in his kunoichi teammate, and Itachi saw no reason to worsen that. Of course, Sakura had not been very helpful, blurting to her teammate about what had almost happened thoughtlessly. Itachi did not blame her; she had to have been stunned by his seemingly random actions.

Itachi himself was still surprised by his own daring. That urge had burned in his gut out of nowhere, and for once, he had found himself susceptible to something. What it meant, Itachi did not know, but he was determined now, and would not rest until he got what he wanted. _What _that was, he had yet to mentally establish, but whatever it was, he would get it.

He supposed there was no longer any point in denying it, after what he had almost done the night previous. To a certain extent, Itachi was attracted to Haruno Sakura, both emotionally and physically. He could not predict himself anymore, a scary thought alone, especially when he was in her presence. Strangely enough, he wanted to ask someone what he was supposed to do, to question someone who had already experienced these things so he could understand why he felt the way he did. There was no one he felt comfortable enough around to ask such questions, because Shisui would only try to figure out who he was interested in, his father would immediately push him to marriage, Genma would make perverse suggestions, and Shikamaru, the only other male he was close to, would question his sanity.

Now he was left to puzzle how Sakura felt in all this. For all his inexperience with relationships of a romantic nature (not that his experience with any sort of relationship was all that great either), Itachi comprehended that usually, the feelings of affection and care had to be mutual. He imagined that the proper way to forge a connection with her was to _ask _first, though how to go about that was beyond him. For some reason, he could not picture Sakura easily accept his suit, and despite her obvious willingness last night, courtship was another thing entirely.

Perhaps he did not know precisely what it would mean, to court Haruno Sakura, but he had a sneaking suspicion that if she did happen to welcome his attentions, the results would eventually become permanent. As in, joining in matrimony, and trading vows. That alone was a fearful though, or at least it should have been, considering he had been avoiding it desperately for several years now, but he did not believe that it would be all that terrible. Naturally, nor he or Sakura were at all prepared for that sort of commitment, and he was letting his mind get carried away all too much for even contemplating over it, but eventually, he could envisage him reach that level with her.

Not right now, though. Not where they were now, with all considering. Their relationship was still young, and he would not ruin its possibilities now because of his thoughts on nuptials. Itachi had to realize that she could very easily reject him, and he was well aware of this. Mentally, he shook his head. He did not know Sakura nearly enough to be considering marriage with her, and if his father knew even an inkling of this new development, that was what he would push. She would not like that, he was certain.

Silently, he entered the Hokage's office, ANBU uniform crisp and in place, his Hawk mask covering his face with a ghostly impression when contrasting with his dark hair. His messenger had given him no explanation of why he was needed, so he had prepared himself for whatever mission Tsunade threw at him. When meeting the faces of those he recognized as interrogation specialists, however, he was certain that he was not being sent out on a covert operation, as he had come to expect with his rank.

"You won't be needing that mask, Uchiha," Tsunade said when he bowed respectfully. Straightening his back to stand at full height, Itachi reached up to remove the ANBU mask that identified his status as captain. The kunoichi he vaguely recognized to be a part of the infamous Rookie Nine, and supposedly close friends with Sakura, fidgeted restlessly, as if uncomfortable with his being there. It probably had to do with that rumor still running through the mill, about him being involved with Sakura.

Ibiki and Inoichi he had worked with before a few times previous, throughout the years, and they greeted with a silent nod. Shikamaru, who he saw from across the room, he met eyes with, and he instantly understood why he was probably here. Though he knew very little about those two nuke-nin that his team had brought back to Konoha, it was easy enough to figure that, with this team of interrogators present, his assistance to get through the barriers of their captives' minds.

The fact two Yamanaka could not complete this task only meant that his subjects were much more persistent than most. He hated to even think it, but that resolve would not last long, with the use of his lethal Sharingan to turn their minds to a useless puddle of sludge. It was not a talent he was particularly proud of, even though he had found it quite convenient at times.

"Am I to assist with the interrogation of Yakushi and Deidara?" He quietly intoned, eyes gleaming with amusement when the Yamanaka kunoichi and Tsunade stilled with disbelief. The Hokage recovered much more quickly, considering he often showed his keen insight.

She rolled her eyes with irritation, interpreting it as a classic case of Uchiha hubris, which would not have been that far off. "How observant of you, Uchiha." She muttered, before admitting, "Yes, you will be working with the interrogation team selected for this case."

Tsunade then turned to Shikamaru. "Nara, fill him in on what we know so far about Akatsuki, and what he'll need to look for." She ordered, lacing her fingers together while gazing over her office with wise, honey-brown eyes.

* * *

Sakura awoke with a start, covering her face with her hands, and hoping, praying even, that she was not in the Uchiha household, and that the older brother of her teammate had _not _almost kissed her the night previous. She wished that it was only a strange image put in her poor, emotionally exhausted brain, but when she lowered her hands and took in her surroundings, she was horrified to realize it was, indeed, all too true, because she lay in the futon of the spare room given to guests in Sasuke's home.

What the hell had she been thinking, last night? She had let him almost kiss her, without fighting at all. Now he was just going to assume he could pull a move like that again, and in light of what had happened, the chances of her resisting then were slim too. It was not _her _fault he smelled so good, or that he was warm, or that sometimes, when he quietly laughed, it was as if some warmth had reached those impossibly dark, smothering eyes...that...were so beautiful when he looked at her, and...

Sakura could not believe what she had just been thinking. Sure, he was somewhat attractive, and that he was unimaginably kind to her, and had told his mother that he liked her cooking. That did not mean that she was interested him in any way, shape or form. He was a conceited, self-centered Uchiha, and she refused to involve herself with someone like that. Even if he _was _incredibly sweet to her whenever she cried, and when she had covered him with blood.

Even if really, she had _wanted _to feel his smooth, thin lips gently pressed to hers in a delicate caress that would have melted her completely. He probably would have somehow convinced her to reciprocate as well, and he was simply the sort of man she would have a hard time denying, making him much more dangerous than most.

A cry of indignation emitted from her throat as she threw herself back down and buried her face in the pillow. She had no idea how she was supposed to see him now, when Mikoto came to give her a more appropriate outfit, and expected to see her at the breakfast table with everyone else. Why had he done that? Now it was going to be awkward whenever she saw him, and that was becoming increasingly often.

She was never going to be able to look at him again, without remembering those lingering seconds when he had hovered over her lips, letting the anticipation grow before that moment when he should have kissed her, his grasp on her arms possessive and needy. That heated look in his eye, the spicy scent of his skin, and the memory of his sharp nose brushing lightly against hers; it was much to overwhelming, to think she would have to compose herself and sit at a table with him.

She was sure that would be impossible for her to do. Worse than that, she had stupidly told Sasuke about that almost-kiss, and now he would be watching them both like a hawk. It would rise suspicion, and then who knew what could happen, knowing how anxious the Uchiha clan was to get Itachi married. They could start pushing _her _of all people, to become his bride. It was simply insane. All because of a moment that had not even happened.

Sakura threw the blankets off herself, knowing just how she needed to solve this, by nipping it in the bud. Wrapping her yukata more closely to herself, she stood, walking towards the shoji screen that separated the guest room from the hallway. She fixed her hair the best she could without a mirror or comb, before slipping out into the morning light.

She could sense Sasuke was still asleep, and crept past his room with ease, before reaching his older brother's. Sakura paused there for a moment, wondering if she should really do this. She was confused and tired, and it could be that she later decided that his attentions would be rather pleasant. Sakura shook her head of such traitorous thoughts, however, summoning all her courage, before quietly calling out, "Itachi-san, are you awake?"

It was silent as she waited patiently, ears straining to pick up on the slightest of sounds, before it finally struck her that she could not detect him at all within his room. Almost as if he had erased his chakra signature, to appear that he was not there. She growled to herself; that damned Uchiha must have already known that she was going to reprimand him for his actions, and wanted to avoid the encounter entirely. Sakura would not have been surprised if he was able to predict her hasty rejection.

"Itachi, I know you're in there!" She snapped angrily, only to get more silence in return. She glared at his shoji screen, debating with herself when it would be best to open it without his permission. "You have some explaining to do, so you better not make me wait!" Sakura continued, tapping her foot in annoyance.

Again, Itachi did not respond, or even release chakra to indicate he was, indeed, inside. He was completely ignoring her, and that was not something she was going to stand for. He could pretend she did not exist as much as he wanted, _after _she got to tell him to fuck off, not beforehand. Subconsciously, she formed fists with her hands, feeling very tempted to blow a hole into his room, in retaliation for his disregard of her presence.

By the time half a minute had passed, and he had done nothing to acknowledge her, she reached the limit of her patience. There was only so much she could handle, before her temper got the best of her, and all logic flew out the window. All she knew was that _shit was going down. _Now.

"That's it, Itachi!" Not willing to give him another second to reach his screen, she slid it open with a loud crash, stepping in without invitation. She was immediately stunned to discover that the frustrating Uchiha she had just been yelling at was not, as she had assumed, in his room. Sakura shrunk with embarrassment. She had intruded on his privacy, to have walked into his room without him there.

Of course, she did not feel nearly as guilty, when she had looked around his small bedroom to realize it was as impersonal as what was strictly possible. It looked almost as if no one lived in it, apart from the spare scrolls sitting on what appeared to be his working desk, and a small bookshelf where she found a neat line of books on strategy, war tactics and previous prints of bingo books, lined up in order of year to the most recent.

She glanced over her shoulder for a moment, as if afraid of being caught doing something she should not be, before snatching the updated version. Curious, she flipped it open, thumbing through the glossy pages, before halting, having reached the face of someone she did not recognize, the sheet of paper having a giant X-mark over it. I was done with a thick brush, the ink a perfect, sooty black, as if he had made the mark himself.

Her breath hitched a rather unexpected notion. Had Itachi killed this man? She had no reason to be surprised, considering his rank. Shaking her head sadly, she continued, startled to find at least a dozen other X's in the bingo book. She could not look at this any longer, she knew. Sighing, a sort of disgust for his status as an assassin becoming hard to ignore as she returned the book to its proper home. It was not his fault, naturally, because he did not chose the content of his ANBU missions, and it was not as if he could shirk off his duties.

A niggling thought in the back of her mind proved to bother her without relief. Could she really blame him for wanting the warmth that an intimate relationship could give? No, she could not.

Supposing that it was best for her to leave before someone caught her snooping, Sakura turned to make her way out of Itachi's room. Unfortunately, in the open doorway, stood a fuming Sasuke, whose dark hair was even more of a mess than usual, and clothes were rumpled from sleep. She bit her lips and give an awkward smile.

His tired glare burned right through her. "Sakura, just what the hell are you doing in Itachi's room?"

"I had to talk with him," she answered weakly.

"_Really? _I couldn't figure that much out." He bit back sarcastically. Sakura abruptly left the room, carefully closing the door, and hoping Itachi would not be able to tell she had been in there, digging through his personal belongings.

* * *

Slipping his mask back on, Itachi easily glided through the darkened hallways of the underground headquarters of ANBU, making his way to Sub-level Four. He had gotten to a certain point, after more than a decade as a member of the Black Operatives, that Itachi had few restrictions, as far as clearance to the most classified parts of ANBU. Whatever information or access he wanted, he _got. _Another plus, there was very few secrets that Tsunade kept from him.

Of course, the big cover-up with Akatsuki was something he had _not _been aware of, and being out of the loop felt strange. He liked being able to know about everything before it happened, instead of taking things as they came, like everyone else had to. It was understandable that Tsunade had not wanted to have anyone know besides the interrogators, but it was frustrating to think there could be other things as well.

This was the life of a shinobi, though. To keep and conceal secrets, hopefully maintaining them until whatever issue was resolved. Akatsuki was dangerous business, Itachi could tell, and hopefully, he would be able to shed light on the entire situation, after using his Sharingan on Yakushi and Deidara. They were the only key Konoha had on learning about that shrouded group of dastardly criminals, and if he was the last resort, Itachi hoped that his Sharingan could gain him access to the information his village needed so desperately.

Already, Itachi was surprised to learn that Yakushi Kabuto, who was known to have once been Orochimaru's spy, was now a member of a criminal organization. After Orochimaru's death, however, Itachi supposed it was understandable that the young nuke-nin would not want to roam the shinobi world on his own. Not that he really wanted to ability to comprehend a criminal's mind, even if it was convenient in interrogations, to know just how they thought, and be able to predict their lies.

He made his way to the end of the main hall, turning to continue down another flight of stairs to where the Akatsuki members were being held, lightly stepping down the staircase, before pausing at the very bottom. Instinctively, he hugged the wall, his chakra signature already having been masked since entering the headquarters. Just beyond, he could sense two shinobi.

No one had clearance to enter this part of ANBU's command, Tsunade had assured him of that. The only ones being held in captivity at this point was those two Akatsuki, and no one should have known about their being there. He had already suspected that there was someone on the inside that had hired Akatsuki, for reasons still disclosed, but now he was certain.

Shikamaru had explained the unusual run-ins several teams of chunin had earlier with various members of the organization, and that alone had seemed bothersome. There was no way that this was just a coincidence. Someone had to be feeding them information, and while it could have easily been a spy, Akatsuki had no motive to be attacking, and never killing, multiple teams of chunin. It was random, and illogical. Therefore, someone had to have hired them.

He could tell already; something deep, much deeper than what Tsunade suspected, was going on right under her nose. Action had to be immediate, because village-wide security was at risk, but he could not return to the Hokage without knowing who was in that room, while the other stood out the door, assumedly guarding. It was too questionable to be something that could be excused...but he had to discover who it was first.

Letting out a silent sigh, he closed his eyes, concentrating chakra to his ears. The walls were thick though, and made so that it was extremely difficult for someone to eavesdrop. For a moment, he wished his sensory skills were more honed, so he would have been able to distinguish whose chakra it was, despite the flimsy job they had done of camouflaging themselves. It was careless, how poorly they were concealing their presences, bordering on arrogant.

Finally, he could hear something, with his ears pressed to the wall. It was impossible to identify who was speaking, with how the barrier of a two-foot thick wall distorted the voices he heard, but he listened for a minute. It appeared to be the end of a conversation, and it was simply a reminder to not reveal anything to their captors. His eyes narrowed as he tried anxiously to distinguish just who it was that had trespassed into ANBU headquarters, but to no avail.

Realizing he had no other choice, he edged closer to the corner, noiselessly pulling out a small, handheld mirror from his supplies, kept on his person for occasions such as this. He held it out, angling it so he could see who was standing guard for the man inside the cell. Unfortunately, in the already-dark hallway, it was impossible to get a view of his face, especially when he hid it in the shadows.

Suddenly, though, a pair of dark, blank eyes flashed to his mirror, making contact with his. Before Itachi could even think, he disappeared on instinct, fleeing to report this development to Tsunade. Confrontation was not the best of ideas now, before they knew just what was going on.

It was not possible to use a teleportation jutsu directly into the Hokage's office, since it would be dangerous for enemies to have that capability, so he appeared just outside. It hardly mattered to him that Tsunade was not alone, and he threw the door open, stalking into the room without remorse for interrupting. Koharu and Homura stood at Tsunade's desk, holding what appeared to be paperwork for a new treaty.

Itachi disregarded their presence, bowing instead to Tsunade, before striding forward with a graceful gait. "Hokage-sama, _the snake has found the rat." _He reported in a code only known by ANBU operatives and the current Hokage, implying an emergency needing immediate attention. He well aware that she would rather the elders not know about this particular dilemma, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Knowing exactly what he had meant by that, he saw Tsunade's eyes widen in alarm, before she slammed her palms up onto the desk top with a force to obliterate it, and pulling herself to her feet. "I will continue this later," she growled, turning the two elders to the door. They glared with squinty, wrinkled and aged faces, first at Tsunade for brushing them off so easily, and then at him, for intervening in their meeting.

Itachi felt a rush of chakra engulf the entire room the second the door shut, as Tsunade created a barrier to preventing sound from getting out. It appeared that she realized the urgency of their situation, and was going to take it very seriously. Once it was solidified, reaching every corner of the office, she faced him, not willing to wait very long to hear more details.

"I have reason to believe that the Akatsuki was hired by someone in Konoha."

Her eyes bulged in shock, her lips pursed together in a show of pure fury. "Explain, Uchiha." She ordered briskly, having to sit herself back down at realizing the true nature of Konoha's position.

Itachi nodded his head. "When I arrived at approximately oh-eight-hundred hours, there were two Konoha-nin, without authorized admittance, in ANBU's Sub-level Four, Prisoner Holding Area Two. One stood outside cell thirteen, assumedly guarding for the other shinobi within the chamber where Akatsuki members Deidara and Yakushi Kabuto are being detained. Neither were ANBU operatives, from what I could tell. The male within cell thirteen was middle-aged, by the sound of it, and likely to be giving the other shinobi orders."

Tsunade let out a deep breath of air, slowly rubbing the bridge of her nose in distress. "Did you overhear what was being said within the cell?" She asked.

He exhaled slowly. "I only reached Sub-level Four at the end of whatever conversation was being had, so what I heard is not going to be helpful. Whoever it was, does not want us to know that Akatsuki is being ordered by someone in Konoha, because all I heard was, _'do not let Konoha learn what you are.'"_

She was hardly comforted by this, and Itachi could hardly blame her. "Did you get a chance to see who the other shinobi was, outside of the cell?" Tsunade breathed wearily. It was just midmorning, and she already wanted to douse herself in alcohol. With an emergency of this nature, however, she would not be getting any rest until the perpetrator was discovered.

"He was standing in the shadows, and I only got to see his eyes for a moment. All other features were indistinctive, and he realized my presence before I could get a more proper glance at him. I retreated before he could alert the other intruder." Itachi admitted. "I had to use a mirror from around the corner to see him at all. I would be able to recognize his eyes, if I saw them again."

Tsunade was silent, absorbed with her thoughts. Itachi stood at attention, waiting for her to inquire further, or give him some sort of command. It would be in their best interest to interrogate the two Akatsuki members soon, because so far, they were the only inkling of a clue they had to learn who the culprit of disclosing classified information, and hiring a band of miscreants to assault Konoha-nin. He could not give her his opinion without her permission though, so he remained mute, waiting for her orders.

A minute later, she slumped completely, releasing all tension in her shoulders and back. "Uchiha, tell me what you think. Can you think of any motive the culprit may have for having Akatsuki attack, yet not kill, Chunin teams but miles from our border?"

Unfortunately, Itachi was not given much of a chance to respond, because an eruption sounded elsewhere in the village, throughly ending their conversation. Sharingan flaring to life, he felt Tsunade's sound barrier drop, and she yelled loudly for Shizune, who was standing just down the hall. He met Tsunade's golden eyes, wordlessly asking for permission to go.

He knew, without a doubt in his mind, where the explosion had come from. The enemy, whom he assumed was Akatsuki, coming to retrieve their associates, had decided to enter through the only residential district along the wall of Konoha, assuming it would be the easiest to infiltrate. Itachi clenched his teeth at the thought, because they had broken in through the Uchiha compound.

Thankfully, she gave him permission with an abrupt nod of her head, and he dashed from the room, slipping fluidly through a window behind her desk, before darting over rooftops. The four mile dash home sped by without his having realized it, and he met his mother briefly at the entrance, who was assisting the elders in an evacuation of the compound. He stopped, shortly asking, "Where's Sakura?"

His mother was surprised at the sudden appearance of her son, and that he would ask about the kunoichi before anything else. "She headed towards the blast. I told Sasuke to go with her, but-

With that, he was gone. A sort of protective sensation escalated in him, and he knew where he needed to be. If the attacker was Akatsuki, as he suspected, he could not leave her to face them. Never had he felt this level of solicitousness for anyone, not even his own brother, whom he had always felt the duty to protect at all costs. She was more important to him than members of his own family, a weight realization to be sure.

Haruno Sakura, the kunoichi teammate of his little brother, meant more than anything, and the very implications to what that really meant were more than just terrifying. Itachi did not have time to think about this, though, and rushed ahead, praying that he would reach her before she managed to aggravate a potentially dangerous enemy, and got herself hurt. It occurred to him that she was a perfectly capable shinobi, but that did not matter, when she was in harm's way. All he cared about was making sure she was safe.

His heart stopped when he saw her from behind, her short locks of bubblegum-pink hair blowing about, and her petite form posed, ready to strike when she had to. Then it jumped into overdrive, adrenaline making him shoot ahead, only to reach her that much quickly. Vaguely, he recognized her opponent, having seen his photograph in the previous six editions of the bingo book. He was defective of Kiri, having once been a member of the notorious _Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, _known for wielding Samehada...but even the enemy did not matter that moment, as he wrapped two arms around her and pulled her small body back, away from the nuke-nin.

* * *

AN: Here's another update! :D Everyone freaked out at me because of the almost-kiss...which was really funny to read, I have to admit. I think I made a lot more people hate Sasuke than usual...but whatever. I'm still not over the fact he killed Itachi in the manga. T^T

Please, feed the starving artist...and drop me a review! :)


	12. Oxygen Therapy

Disclaimer: Hmmm. Well, this sucks. I still don't own Naruto.

* * *

I want something more, something to live for,

Before it gets too late and there's no turning back.

* * *

Sakura felt all the air in her lungs escape in shock when she looked up, and saw Itachi's calm face, staring blankly at the Akatsuki member she had been fighting just moments before. Suddenly, she felt utterly defenseless to him again, because even if she should have been furious with him for interfering, she was instead comforted by the thought that he even cared to step in. She was well aware that if Sasuke or Naruto had stepped in, she would have taken it as them lacking faith in her.

Itachi, somehow, she knew did not feel that way. He knew she was a capable kunoichi, probably better than she did, and had shown his confidence in her. After having defeated an S-ranked nuke-nin, he had no reason to doubt that now. The reason he had for pulling her away from this fight now was completely different from when Naruto and Sasuke did. She was shocked to realize, he was displaying his own masculine possessiveness, and for _her, _of all people.

She felt herself slipping right into how she had felt last night, and she did not know anymore if it was such a bad thing. Of course, it was impossible to think straight at all, when his noticeably larger, warmer body pressed against her. She would not deny the fact it was pleasant to have his powerful arms wrapped around her, even if he was probably about to kick her out of her own fight. Sakura could not believe that she had gotten so distracted because of his sudden, unexpected appearance. It was completely unlike her to get preoccupied, just because there was an attractive, muscular male curled around her smaller form.

Wait, scratch that. She did not consider Itachi to be attractive.

Sharingan spinning dangerously at a certain Hoshigaki Kisame, Itachi only just sparing Sakura a quick look over. There was obvious evidence that she had already engaged the Akatsuki member, by the minor scratches on her form, including a particularly nasty gash on her upper arm. She had apparently not had the time to heal it yet, because it still bled freely down the length of her arm. Though the reasons had become clear to him, he was still astonished to find himself angered by the fact she had been injured.

"Sakura," he whispered, catching Kisame's haughty smirk at the wound he had given her, "I will handle Hoshigaki. If the intruding nuke-nin are not contained, there _will _be casualties, and your presence at the hospital will be necessary." Itachi murmured quietly. She struggled in his grasp.

He should have known, after yesterday, that she would not be able to return to the hospital so soon. She could not think of anything more terrifying. Usually, when a medic-nin made any sort of mistake like that, they took a week off, studying their textbooks before returning better prepared. It had been less than twenty-four hours since the incident, and as thankful as she was for Itachi coming to comfort her, she could not possibly do this for him. But how was he ever going to understand that? He was the perfect shinobi, his life surrounding his duty in every instance.

She let out a shaky sigh. "I can't do that, Itachi," he heard her breath, "I can't go back there."

He disagreed wholeheartedly. "You're going to have to, Sakura. If not now, then later. What happened with your mother was not your fault, and you cannot allow that awful occurrence to interfere with your obligations as a medic-nin. Your mother is still alive, and you cannot fail her now by blowing off responsibility."

She was right. He did not understand. At the same time, he was right, because the hospital was not going to be able to run itself without an experienced medic leading it. Facing her mother was something she was going to have to do, whether she wanted to or not, and she wanted to be able to look her mother in the eye and say she had done her duty to the best of her ability. She could not fail again.

Damn him; he was too good at persuading her, much better than what she preferred. He was _dangerous, _even for her. She hardly knew how he could do that, how he could say such things to her. As if he could read her very mind. Sakura knew then that she had been underestimated the Uchiha, because he clearly understood just how she felt. She was not going to let that happen again, she had to tell herself.

Sakura was not stupid, though. He would find some way to sneak himself into her heart, if he so wished, and apparently, she was defenseless to him, and his shocking capability to emotionally manipulate her. Not that his motive was so bad as she was assuming, because he would never have shown such blatant possessiveness, if he did not instinctively feel such things. Itachi must have really cared for her, for some reason she dared not read into.

If she did not know any better, she would have claimed that Uchiha _Itachi _was attracted to her. Of course, that could not be possible.

With new resolve, Sakura looked up at him, gently curling her slender fingers about his gloved wrists. He instantly understood her message, reluctantly releasing his hold on her smaller body, and watching as she stood with a sort of bravado he had come to expect from her. Smirking, he met her gaze. She was going to listen to him, after all. He was glad, because it would have been unpleasant to force her into obedience. The hospital was where she belonged at that moment, and she could not stay away, not now, when she was most needed.

"Don't look at me like that, Itachi. I haven't forgotten about last night yet, and we're going to have a _long _conversation about it." She huffed, turning to leave. "Kick fish-face's ass for me, would you? Then I might actually consider forgiving you for busting a move." Sakura added with an air of nonchalance, taking her first step away from him. Both amused and annoyed at the same time, a contradictory combination, to be sure, Itachi caught her arm with the flash of his wrist.

Sakura was stunned to feel herself pulled back to him, and his warm breath fan the shell of her ear, and could barely suppress her urge the shudder in response. She would not let him see how he effected her, though. "Very well, Sakura, we can talk. Once this is over with, I will find you, and trust me, you will find it in your best interest to forgive me." Itachi growled hotly, before letting her go, and watching with mild entertainment as she shot him a weak glare, and stumbled away.

What mirth he had shown for Sakura's expense was hidden behind a perfectly trained, stony expression, when he turned to the patiently waiting Akatsuki member. Hoshigaki, however, cackled when seeing his flawless facade, having watched with amusement as the two, what he assumed to be lovers, first silently shared an intimate moment of compassion, before it flipped completely, and he saw them bicker like an old, married couple. Then the ANBU had turned to face him with a blank face, as if he had not just witnessed the interaction between the two shinobi.

"I'm guessing Pinky's your woman," Kisame guffawed, cracking his back as he stood straight again, picking up Samehada.

He was further amused when the male opposite him answered. "No," he admitted, unsheathing a standard-issue katana, gripping it with both hands, before easing into a defensive position. Kisame had to admit, he was wise. He had no idea what his special skills would be, so he automatically turned his body into a shield, choosing to first observe his enemy, before blindly attacking. _For a Konoha-nin, he has something going on up in his head_, Kisame thought absentmindedly.

"Really now, you have no attachment to that kunoichi?" He asked dubiously, swinging Samehada up onto shoulder.

Itachi refused to dignify that question with an answer. His Sharingan spun almost lazily as he observed the abnormally large supply of chakra plowing through Hoshigaki's body. This opponent was not going to be nearly as easily as Deidara had been, and Itachi knew it. The levels of chakra, and muscle bulk, were nearly astounding in difference between the two nuke-nin. Still, Itachi was undaunted, confident in his own abilities.

Finally, Itachi made his response. "You, Hoshigaki Kisame, will be apprehended for questioning as a member of Akatsuki," he announced apathetically, warily making an approach. He was unsurprised by the large man's laughter, considering his actions thus far.

"Sorry, Kid. It's impressive that you recognize me well enough to call me by name, but I'm not going nowhere. I've been in the bingo books much longer than you have, Uchiha Itachi." Kisame sneered back at him, throwing off the large, black cloak with its red clouds, with every intention in preventing drag.

There was a long silence, before they both shot forward towards each other, the killing intent in the area spiking dangerously. Itachi blocked as the large Samehada was swung down at him, skidding back to get more room. Again, Kisame dashed forward, swinging his heavy weapon with mastery. Itachi effortlessly deflected his attack again, ducking below the horizontal movement of the chakra-leeching weapon.

Before Kisame had been given the chance to recover from his missed strike, Itachi swiped his legs under him in an attempt to get the nuke-nin to stumble down. Unfortunately for him, he had prepared for such an attack, and leapt above his swinging leg before it could make contact. Kisame immediately retaliated, thrusting Samehada forward, only to have Itachi narrowly avoid his lunge.

Exerting only a small amount of chakra, Itachi utilized his Sharingan, casting a genjutsu over the nuke-nin. If he remembered correctly from his long hours of studying the bingo books he had been supplied with each year, Hoshigaki was susceptible to most genjutsu, his strengths laying in ninjutsu and taijutsu instead. Itachi would use this to the best of his ability.

He watched as Kisame struggled for a moment to clear the chakra invading his system, before, much to his bewilderment, it was absorbed by Samehada. Itachi frowned as the unusual weapon's scales clinked together and screeched with delight, and then grew in size from drawing in his chakra. This was going to be a much more difficult battle than Itachi had originally expected.

Standard genjutsu were not going to cut it, apparently, so he was going to have to catch Kisame in his Sharingan, and possess his mind that way. He hated using his doujutsu as a crutch, but in this case, he had no other choice but to rely on his eyes. No one, not even Hoshigaki Kisame, would be able to break free from one of his genjutsu, once having been ensnared by his lethal Sharingan. Now, he just had to figure out a way to get Kisame to meet his gaze.

He sighed with frustration. The day was going just horribly, so far.

* * *

Sakura hated how he was always right. It was not right that he was able to read her so throughly, when she could not so much as comprehend a single thought that entered his head. For a moment, she felt concerned for the Uchiha heir, however, because she knew the nuke-nin she had left him with was no shinobi to screw with. She also knew she had to be confident in Itachi, but after feeling that man's unnatural chakra, its density heavy and stifling, she had felt genuinely worried.

She had no time to sit idly, however, and concentrate on the Uchiha heir who was determined to annoy the hell out of her. The Emergency Room was flooded with new patients, their injuries varying between an amputated hand to small lacerations that would require stitches, if she never got the opportunity to heal them personally. Itachi had proven his insight once again, because frightened civilians were filing into the hospital with wide eyes and bloody wounds.

Apparently, there was more than just the intruders she and Sasuke had sensed, because there were civilians entering from parts of the village that were completely opposite from where she had been. She wondered momentarily why they had even come to their village. What had they ever done to them, to make them attack with such ferocity?

As she quietly healed the sobbing child who had fractured their arm, the mother stood nearby, wringing her hands anxiously and ignoring her bleeding head. It did not take Sakura long to set the child's damaged arm, and she that would have to do for the meantime. There were too many injured, and not nearly enough medics for her to completely heal the child, when it would heal on its own once properly bandaged.

Sakura mutedly signaled the woman to her, having her sit on the bed her son was settled on. Head wounds always bled more, Sakura knew, and she immediately found the source; a cut along her hairline. With little effort, she charged her hands with green, healing chakra, pressing them to the woman's forehead, and watching the abrasion close up. Finished, Sakura sent them to the nurse station set up to keep track of all the patients entering the ER with injuries.

She moved on the next civilian, closing up the gash on his forearm. This could have continued for hours, but Sakura was not certain, when she had already taken a soldier pill to keep her chakra levels high enough to work. She had entered a certain mode, where all she could see was the injury, and all she could do was heal it. Nothing else entered her mind as soon as it reached this state, and the only thing that mattered was being sure that no one was lost on her watch.

Shizune had entered the ER at some time late that morning, and this had certainly been a good change, because Sakura had needed a chance to catch her breath. Feeling shaky, she had downed a bland, inedible protein bar, before returning. It was then that Shisui had run up to her, waking her from her systematic mindset.

"Sakura-chan, he needs help. Now." Shisui had quickly said, dragging her away from a man whose thigh had a particularly ugly wound. She had no chance to ask who _he _was, or to stop the impatient, Uchiha male from preventing her service a hurt man. When she saw him though, blood seeping from an undisclosed area, Sakura dashed forward, all else forgotten.

Itachi was leaning precariously against a wall to the hospital's entrance area that had been abandoned, since every able nurse and medic was necessary in the ER, and his hand was weakly pressed into his abdomen to prevent more blood loss. He looked up at her, as if stunned he had even been injured to this extent, his knees nearly buckling before she caught him. Even if he was much taller than she, Sakura was able to support his weight.

She did not question what had happened, because that was not important yet. Instead, she turned to Shisui. "Get me a nurse. I need a gurney, stat!" She barked, helping the Uchiha heir step forward. Shisui did not argue, dashing back from where they came, returning within a minute, Kimi in tow, who was pushing a wheeled stretcher to where Sakura stood.

"Kimi, alert Shizune that I'm in the OR. I may need back-up medics at some point." She said, before, with Shisui's assistance, lifting Itachi up onto the gurney. "Send in Mai to help administer the anesthetic!" She added as the nurse ran back to the Emergency Room, her heels clicking on the tiled flooring and echoing off the blank walls.

Everything else passed with a blur. She did not feel or think, but simply acted. She was afraid of what she _would _feel, if she allowed herself to. He lost consciousness before she even reached the Operating Room, and with the loss of pressure to his stomach, the wound began to bleed more profusely. Deep down, Sakura had wanted to panic, because in those few seconds before she had reached the OR, a strange fear that maybe, Itachi could die. And he would not be there anymore. For reasons she could not explain, that thought had terrified her. She was not going to let that happen.

She managed to smother her fear of losing him, and decided to instead fight, to be sure he was not lost.

A certain calmness overcame her, and Mai had already been in the OR when she arrived, so Sakura did not waste any time in waiting before ripping off the armored vest he was wearing, then concentrating her fluctuating chakra to heal him. She was definitely going to need another medic's assistance.

* * *

Eyes bleary and crusted over, Itachi peeked upwards, closing them again at the blinding light above his head. He had no doubt of where Shisui had taken him, after that inconclusive battle with Hoshigaki Kisame. Cracking his eyes open again, he found his suspicions correct, because these were the familiar walls of a hospital room. Curiously, he turned his head to see Sakura curled up on an uncomfortable chair, and fitfully asleep. He cleared his throat, or at least tried to, before gagging on the tube down his throat. Groaning to himself, Itachi sat.

With his small, slow motion, Sakura had woken to see the man she had just patched up perfectly prepared to tear the oxygen tube out of his neck. She shot up immediately, pulling his wrists away and growling at the man. Stunned, he leaned against the headboard, staring at the angered female in confusion.

"Are you trying to slit your own throat from the inside out? If you don't know how to properly remove the endotracheal tube, you can seriously injure yourself!" She yelled, carefully removing the piping that had assisted his breathing herself. Again, he gagged, before letting out a soft sigh. Though angered, Sakura was also relieved that he could breath on his own again.

At some point during the surgery, his lungs had strained to continuously bring in oxygen, so she had to hook him up to a machine that would do it for him. He was healed though, and the surgery had been an overall success. Sakura had no idea what she would have done to herself if he had somehow died. He was well on his way to recovery, however, based on his regained ability to breathe properly, and having become conscious again. She had found herself staying in his hospital room at constant vigil, refusing to even dare leave until she was certain he would be fine.

Not that she was going to tell that to the surprised Uchiha, if he could not figure that out for himself. Based on the fact she looked as if she had not been home in little under four days, it would not be difficult for him to tell. The chances that he would bring this up, however, were rather slim, much to her silent relief. Unconcerned, she met his pensive gaze, an unusual warmth lighting in her chest. She felt _happy _that he was so much better than when he had entered the OR, and she did not know what to make of this feeling.

Properly disposing of the endotracheal tube, Sakura tentatively sat on the edge of his bed, having to keep her hands to her lap. _Why, _she did not comprehend, but a sudden impulse to move inky strands of raven hair from his alabaster face struck the kunoichi with such a force she had a difficult time tuning it out. She bit her lip nervously, no longer showing any sort of anger towards him, even if she had just yelled at the unsuspecting Uchiha.

Finally, unable to handle the awkward silence as he stared at her in bewilderment, Sakura spoke. "You almost died, Itachi," she murmured, breaking her eyes away from his, "I was scared that you would leave me behind."

Itachi felt the air catch in his throat. Had she really just admitted such a thing to him? Something must have changed between the time he had shooed her off to the hospital to face Kisame himself, and when he had finally awoke. That look in her eye, bashful and innocent, had not been there before; at least not when she spoke to him about anything. She had always been hard and infuriated with him, until now, she was giving him the most gentle, sweet look he had ever seen on her.

"If you hadn't sent me away, I probably would have died fighting that nuke-nin," she continued with a whisper. "When Shisui suddenly dragged me to where you were standing, I was so afraid," she wiped a crystalline tear from her cheek, "because I didn't want to think you could ever die. I don't even know why it scared me so much, but it did, Itachi...like things wouldn't be the same if you were gone."

Embarrassed, she looked up at him through teary eyes. "All I could think was that I would never be able to forgive myself, if you died. I don't understand it, but after everything that's happened between us, I can't help but wonder why you make me feel like this." Sakura breathed. Itachi reached for her hand as she clenched her fingers nervously.

"Sakura..._don't." _Itachi murmured quietly.

She was just feeling exactly how he had a few weeks ago, when Sakura had almost died when fighting Sasori. She was frustrated, confused and not sure what she should be doing. He was already able to tell that she was going to spend the next few days questioning these feelings, mostly because that was what he had done. The problem was, he was not nearly patient enough to wait. There was a chance, if he let her simply think things over like she was planning to, she would choose to disconnect herself from him, in fear of any thing that even resembled an intimate relationship.

Sakura peered at him through dark pink eyelashes. She could feel the blush that was spreading across her pale cheeks. It burned with an intensity that forced her to do nothing but think about what had happened last time they had been alone in private.

What would it feel like if Itachi kissed her now?

Unlike the time after he had first tried, she did not think she would find it unpleasant at all. These were dangerous thoughts indeed, because she still did not know what his intentions for her were, and part of her kept saying she should not trust the heir to a powerful clan, especially since said clan was trying to push him into marriage. He could either be forced to wed another woman, a disturbing thought to be sure, or dictated that _they _marry. Sakura pushed that idea from her mind by force, as soon as she had thought it.

"I don't want there to be any more confusion between us." Sakura stated at last. "I want to talk to you about what happened in the kitchen."

Whether he was surprised or not by her boldness with him, Itachi did not outwardly show it. "What _did _almost happen, Sakura?" He asked smoothly, admiring for a moment, her perfectly trimmed fingernails as he held her slender hand, finding them clean and rounded femininely. Itachi watched with no short amount of amusement as her face flushed a deeper red. She had no clue how adorable he thought that was.

"You almost kissed me."

He found himself rather pleased by her short answer. She was not going beat around the bush, in this case. "Yes, I did," he replied cordially, before adding with a slight rumble in his chest, "does that bother you?"

Sakura swallowed. "It did," she admitted softly.

"But it doesn't now." He concluded for her. This probably would have annoyed her, if he had been any other man. Itachi was the sort of person that could get away with making assumptions, however, because most of the time, he was right.

She nearly choked when answering him. "No. It does not."

That was all Itachi really needed to hear. His reaction to this statement had been instinctive and compulsive, but because it felt so _damn _good, he could not say he regretted acting so brashly.

Sakura's eyes opened wide with astonishment when she was promptly jerked towards the Uchiha heir, and his head lowered to her level. She was not given the time to even think before he brushed his lips against hers in a tender caress. More stunning, his large, warm hands came to cup her cheeks possessively, before he slowly pulled back to get a good look at her face.

His eyes were unbelievably dark, and she shuddered at the intense heat she found in their onyx depths. Itachi appeared to be rather pleased by her stunned expression, because he leaned down again, pressing their mouths together again with new eagerness. Sakura did not know how she was supposed to react, and what was the best thing to do in this sort of situation, but intuition led her.

Cautiously, she tugged him closer, before wrapping her arms about his neck in an embrace he accepted gladly. His hands found themselves placed against the small of her back and laced into her halo of pink hair. The feeling of his warm body against hers was much more pleasant than it should have been, but Sakura did not want, for once, to think about how wrong this was, and that there would be consequences for her stupid actions. Because kissing Itachi really was a dumb thing to do.

More comforted than she had in long time, with his body encircling hers, she allowed her eyelids to slowly slide shut. Her heart was beating erratically with excitement, and it felt as if he could hear each thud in her chest. His touch was soft and careful, as if he already knew what she felt, and did not want to push her too far.

The moment, however, that she began to press back at him, and tilted her head to the side to get a different angle, his kiss became open-mouthed and passionate, and she did not resist him, or even want to. Almost against her will, an unsteady gasp tore through her parted lips as his hot tongue slid against hers ardently, making his grip on her tighten minutely. It did not register in her head that she was officially making-out with the older brother of her best friend and teammate.

Itachi's vision was hazy and unfocussed, because all he could think was that he was kissing her. Her breath tasted sickeningly sweet on his tongue, and he could not get enough of her unique flavor. For all her violent tendencies and fiery tempers, Sakura was rather shy as she mewled into his mouth, softly pushed her small, lithe body against his larger, hard form. She was so beautiful like this, he could not take his eyes off her, and Itachi was half tempted to memorize the feel of every hesitant touch of her tongue against his as he utterly dominated her, utilizing his Sharingan for a much different purpose than he usually did.

He did not want to think that he would never be able to feel this desperation and longing and _need _ever again, because despite his usual uncertainty and carefulness with human contact, this was something he would cherish and yearn for. All caution was thrown out the window, and even if this would usually bother him to no end, he could not stop himself. She whimpered softly into his mouth, and with the temptation too great for him to possibly deny himself, Itachi pulled her against him more fully, so that her ample breasts pressed nearly flat against his chest.

Much to his disappointment, she tore herself away from him with that, panting heavily as she tried to regain her breath. It had been too much, he supposed, but even so, he longed for more. Chest heaving as he recovered as well, Itachi watched as she shyly snuck away, moving to sit slightly farther from him. Composed again, he saw her cover her reddened face with her hands in shame, her breath still fast and broken. Sakura was hiding herself from him. She was afraid of what he could do to her, and Itachi did not like that at all.

"Sakura-

Abruptly, the mortified kunoichi stood, straightening her wrinkled clothing, as if preparing to leave his room. She spared him one, last humiliated look over her shoulder before turning, but he did not let her go so easily. Itachi caught her wrist, glaring slightly when she refused to even face him, so he could see her expression. He pulled her closer, but she strained her neck, as if intentionally pestering him, and not giving him the opportunity to see her face. Itachi could not help the small growl that escaped from his lips.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Sakura cried. "I never meant to do this with you! I should never have started to feel like this...it isn't right! What the hell am I even thinking? You have your goddamned clan, I have my civilian parents who hate everything that screams shinobi, and it shouldn't work like this! We were never supposed to cross paths like this, yet..." She paused to catch her breath. Confused and worn out, she asked wearily, "Why? Why are you trying to pull this with me, Itachi? I can't take this sort of game. I don't want you to play with me, toy with my emotions because you can, only to suddenly retract every last thing you've said or done."

Itachi stared at her, utterly stunned by her winded yells and questions. "What have I ever done to make you think I would do such a thing to you, Sakura?" He calmly asked back. Itachi never would have thought he would have to earn her trust like this, but he supposed it was not so strange, in courtship. Courtship, he pondered at for a second; that was a powerful word that often led up to marriage. An eagerness he was not accustomed to spread through his chest at the very thought.

She ceased her struggling, but still did not look back at him. "No," she croaked, feeling even more embarrassed for her near escape, for even trying to leave him in such a rude manner, only then to accuse him of things he had not, and never would do to her. Surely, she realized that he could never hurt her. Itachi had proven that to her on numerous occasions, when he had comforted her when she had cried like a child, when he saved her life on the battlefield, and again when he had kissed her with such passion and adoration that it made her heart ache.

"What about what just transpired was wrong? How isn't it _right?" _Itachi continued, his thumb gently stroking the sensitive, pale skin under her wrist. He could tell she was slowly warming back up to him, after nearly running away in fear. Itachi did not wish for her to be scared of him, of all people.

Sakura gulped. "You're _Sasuke's_ older brother, and he's like family to me. I can't do something like to him. And my mother; she only just lost her child, and I need to be there for her."

Anxiously, she turned to face him at last, only to see his unconvinced look. His expression altered though, once seeing her face, an unfamiliar emotion lighting his dark eyes. Itachi looked at her rosy, swelling lips and mussed hair, feeling strangely proud of the fact he had done that to her. She was like an ethereal goddess of the sacred feminine; pure, innocent and sweet; and oh, so enticing, alluring him to scoop her back into his arms and smother her with his lips. That bright, wide-eyed, doe-like look was much too beguiling, and it took all his willpower to push down his urges. It was unbelievable of what this woman was capable of making him feel.

He purposely ignored her pointless comment about Sasuke, gently asking, "Have you spoken to your mother yet?"

The look she gave him was heavy, as if she had the whole weight of the world on her back for that moment. Guiltily, she sighed, before settling back on the edge of his bed, lace interweaving her fingers with his when his grip on her wrist loosened further. "No, not yet," she confessed, shoulders sagging tiredly. He squeezed her hand with his.

"Why not?" He murmured, moving locks of pink hair from her face with his free hand.

"I didn't want to go alone," Sakura mumbled.

She was dumbfounded when the Uchiha male then helped her back onto her feet, before pushing back the covers to his hospital bed, and standing. He held his hand out for her, which she reluctantly took, even if it went against all logic for her to do.

"I'll go with you, then." Itachi whispered as she gaped up at him in amazement. Sakura nodded her head though, and had been about the lead him to her mother's room, when much to her astonishment, he softly added, "Sakura, I have every intention in courting you. Accept my suit."

Sakura froze in shock, not sure if she should take it as a joke, or ignore his comment altogether. This was such a random, unexpected place for him to ask her this, not in the least romantic, but as she reared her head back at him, and found that he was dead serious, her throat went dry. Itachi had not wanted to stand in front of her parents, in his hospital gown, no less, as her support, without some form of understanding between them. This was completely different from him staying in her room, awaiting the moment she would regain consciousness, and seeing her parents as they came to visit their daughter. He did not know Sakura's mother, and had only met her once, and they were not nearly close enough for him to even presume the right to visit her as she recovered from the loss of her unborn child. If he accompanied Sakura without any agreement between them, informal or not, it would feel inappropriate.

Sakura knew she must have flushed ten different shades of red at his bold avowal, and she almost forgot how to breathe. How did he keep doing that to her? Just as she remembered how to inhale, he hunched over to press his lips to hers again, and all thoughts of breathing left her mind. As far as Itachi was concerned, her response in curling against his chest was the closest he was going to get for the moment to her accepting him. Smirking against her lips, Itachi knew that it would not take much to get her to welcome his attentions fully.

* * *

AN: Yup. They kissed. \(-3-)/ Yup, he practically confessed to her. This chapter was fun to write. I'm so happy! I'm getting my new Itachi shirt in the mail tomorrow. World be wary, there is a fangirl on the loose. As always, thank you for all the reviews!

Reviews feed starving artists. FEED ME. Lol.


	13. Blood Curdling

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Things would be way different if I did.

* * *

You can't manufacture happiness.

Try forever, you would be remissed; there is no pride involved in love.

* * *

Startled, Ino's head shot up at the sound of the bell jangling as someone violently threw the door open and stomped inside. She had been reading the newest issue of _Kunoichi Chic, _and would most definitely have scolded the person who had shocked her so suddenly, if they did not have the mess of pink, frazzled hair, and wild looking green eyes. Closing her magazine, Ino stood up straight, fully prepared to give Sakura her attention.

The Yamanaka flower shop had very little business this late in the year, since most of their plants were not grown in greenhouses, and could not be bought year round. For some reason, her mother was still determined to keep the shop open, even if they never got more than three or four customers in an entire day. Of course, very little of Konoha's population particularly liked going out to shop at leisure, this time of the year. It was late autumn, and winter's cold was just around the corner. If people left their homes to buy anything, it would be to get ingredients for dinner, and they return immediately home. Ino really could not blame them; she was not much of a fan of cold either, much preferring the summer months, when Konoha is unbearably hot.

"Forehead! What the hell happened to you?" Ino asked.

Frantically, her pink-haired friend made her way to where she was standing, looking as if she had just seen a ghost. If it had anything to do with that particularly nasty rumor going around, Ino was unsurprised. She could see that she was not going to have much of a chance to be reading her magazine at all, so she stored it below the counter, where she would pick it up again later.

"I need to talk, Ino-pig," Sakura whispered back, carefully glancing over her shoulder to the storage room. The door hung open wide, the fluorescent lighting giving away the presence of Ino's mother. Everyone knew that Ino had not gotten her gossiping habits from her father, and that if anything, Ino's mother was ten times worse than her daughter.

Ino got the hint. Sighing, she untied the apron around her hips, folding it with care, before putting it in its proper home, below the cash register. "Okaa-san, I'm taking my break now! I'll see you later!" Ino called cheerfully, leading Sakura out of the flower shop long before her mother could say otherwise. If given the chance, Ino knew her mother would have found some way to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"So, we haven't been to the teashop down the street in a while," Ino offered, "I heard they have a new recipe for their strawberry shortcake." She tried, linking arms with the anxious kunoichi. They had not gotten much time since becoming jonin to simply sit and talk, considering the piles of missions they were given, and the new training requirements. It would have been nice to go back to one of their favorite eateries again, like they had on a weekly basis as chunin. Times had seemed so much easier back then.

Sakura, however, looked over her shoulder, as if concerned that someone was following them. Concerned, Ino bit her lip. Sakura was not one to be so worried about others, even when speaking about personal matters. She had picked up Tsunade's tendency to be blunt and unashamed, to a point that it was almost scary. Of course, Ino knew that some things Sakura would never share so easily, but she was as open as they came. This could only mean the situation was much worse than she originally anticipated.

"I can't talk about this in public, Ino-pig." She muttered quietly. "I don't want anyone else to hear this, especially not _him." _As Ino suspected. She was not sure what she should even say to her friend. All she knew was that something had happened, something _big, _and that by _him, _Sakura had meant a certain Uchiha Itachi. Ino had always wondered if he had been playing with her friend, and now, she hoped she would get some sort of answer.

"Okay, we can go to your apartment, then." She allowed, being careful to not show how concerned she really was. Sakura probably would not have appreciated having her worry over her like a child. If there was one thing she hated, it was being under estimated, even if it was unintentional, and from her own friends. Ino knew this was partially her own fault, having pushed her down when they were genin, both of them desperate for 'Sasuke-kun's' attention. Ino was tempted to snort at the very thought.

Both kunoichi made their way to Sakura's small flat in silence. The civilian area was calm, much to Ino's relief, the only soul they ran into being Sakura's elderly neighbor, as she had stood outside to water her plants. If Sakura had been surprised by the glare the older woman had given her as she unlocked the door, she had not shown it. This would have to mean that it was not unusual to be greeted by glares, even from civilians. Ino seriously wondered what this village was coming to.

Sakura kicked her shoes off, letting Ino do the same as she stepped into the small kitchen of her apartment. Ino leaned in the archway with arms crossed, watching carefully as Sakura poured water into a kettle for tea, and put it on the range to boil. Determined to know just what was going on, she sat herself down at the kitchen table, waiting expectantly. Sakura turned slowly, already knowing Ino would be anxious to hear just why she had dragged her from the flower shop almost randomly.

Trying to remain calm, now that she was in the safety of her own home, Sakura pulled out the chair opposite of Ino, and taking her place at the table. A moment of silence passed between them, before she lost all patience.

"Forehead, you have to tell me what's going on. Please tell me that nothing about that new rumor going around is true. I don't want to believe it, but considering how you've been acting so far, I have to wonder." Ino pleaded, scooting her chair in, bringing her closer. She honestly did not think Sakura was the type, nor that Itachi would take advantage of her so easily, but sometimes, things happened, even if no one had expected them to.

Sakura's face scrunched up with confusion, a small frown marring her pale features. "What do you mean? What rumor?"

Ino wanted to slap her own forehead. She had not wanted to tell Sakura about that rumor, if she did not already know, and if it was not absolutely necessary. It appeared that she was going to have to either way, with the look that Sakura was giving her. All Ino knew was that she was not going to like it one bit. God only knew what _Itachi _would do, if he heard what everyone believed.

"First of all, I'll have you know that I have nothing to do with this rumor, you understand? I would never have said something that obviously isn't true, and even if it was, I'm not stupid enough to share your personal business with Itachi. So don't kill the messenger." Ino started with a huff. It was probably a good thing Sakura would hear this from her, though, rather than someone else. She would be able to handle it better this way, or so she hoped.

Ino gave a small sigh. "Everyone in the marketplace has been saying that you are engaged to Itachi, because he refuses to have a bastard as a child, and that _that _is the only reason he would ever wish to marry you."

It took a long moment for Sakura to realize what, exactly, that meant. When it suddenly struck her, hard, and right through the chest, she felt as if the chair she was sitting on had just crumbled beneath her, and she had fallen through the floorboards. She was quiet for a few seconds more, processing every last angle of this new assumption about her relationship with Itachi, before flushing a deep, dark red.

"I'm not pregnant!" She choked with disbelief. How the rest of the village could have possibly thought she was carrying Itachi's child, Sakura would never know. It certainly explained all the strange looks, however, and why it had so suddenly become more hostile in the hospital. Everyone knew that half of the nursing staff was infatuated with the Uchiha heir, and they would definitely be enraged if someone had suddenly caught the attention of their dearest _Itachi-sama. _

Ino visibly sagged with relief, glad to hear that her instincts were correct, and that Sakura was not due to have a child out of wedlock. Unfortunately, Sakura was far from being finished.

"We haven't even had sex! So unless it has become possible for a virgin to conceive, even if it goes against all common sense, and scientific knowledge, _that isn't even possible!" _Sakura cried, fists clenching dangerously. "And Itachi's too much of a traditional sort to ever do such things, unless our relationship was absolutely stable!"

Ino's eyebrow lifted with suspicion, but she did not ask. She would later, after she got Sakura to tell her exactly what was going on, if the rumor was untrue. "Then what did you need to tell me, Forehead?"

Sakura paused, running a hand through messy locks of pink hair. She was beginning to question why she had ever brought Ino back to her apartment to tell her what had happened. Ino would never tell, she knew, but the advice she would offer would probably be preposterous; it was amazing that they managed to stay friends, since they had such completely differing views on men, and relationships in general.

She gathered her courage though, knowing she had no choice but to tell Ino. "Itachi told me his intentions in courting me, then told my parents," Sakura breathed.

Ino froze, her jaw dropping into her lap at this change of events. She supposed she had no reason to really worry all that much any more. Her main concern had been that Itachi had been looking for a play thing, and had decided to make Sakura his toy, but now she knew that could not be the case. He would never have told her his intentions to court her, if he were not in the least serious. Though she was not at all close with the Uchiha heir, she knew he was not the sort of man to ever joke. He might very possibly be serious about her friend, Ino realized with surprise.

"I want details, now." Ino demanded hotly. "I want you to tell me exactly what had happened before this, how he told you, and what he said to your parents. If you even _dare _leave something out, I will know, Forehead, so don't bother trying. I _am _an interrogation specialist, and you're a horrible liar."

Sakura was not at all taken aback by this order. She had known Ino long enough to know just how she would react to hearing certain things. If there was gossip to be shared, Ino would get to the bottom of it, if it was the last thing she did. She sighed, smiling weakly at the thought. They really had not spoken like this in such a long time, she had almost grown to miss Ino's pigheadedness, and constant need to know _everything. _

"This stays strictly between us," Sakura said darkly, knowing better than to trust any juicy tidbit of information with her friend. They both knew Sakura was violent when displeased, and even Ino would not dare test that.

"Of course!" She yelled back, not liking that Sakura thought she would ever betray her, even it was interesting, and worth sharing with others.

Sakura nodded her head, satisfied for the moment. She sighed heavily. "After what had happened with my mother in the hospital, I had run into him in the training grounds. He had actually been very kind, and caring, even if I had covered him with blood, and cried like a child in front of him. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to repay him for that." Sakura whispered softly.

"He knew I could never possibly return to my apartment after that," Sakura continued slowly, looking up at Ino from her lap, embarrassed to realize that she was sitting on the edge of her seat. "He had handed me over to his mother, so she could bathe me, before sending me up to bed. I don't think even Sasuke would have done that for me. If I had run into him instead, I would probably have woken up, still in my hospital garb, soaked with blood, and pissed off."

She paused momentarily in thought. Itachi really been unbelievably sweet to her, not caring how much of a bother it must have been to take care of her, as if she was eight, rather than eighteen. How he was able to look as if he could not care less, only to then act with more compassion for her than anyone else she knew, Sakura could never comprehend. She could only guess that he must have really cared for her, or he would never have gone through the trouble. She was just the silly little kunoichi on his brother's team, and nothing more.

Ino urged her to continue, anxiously waiting to hear more. Sakura gulped at what was to follow. "I woke up later, when it was dark out, and everyone should have been asleep. I hadn't eaten since lunch, so I was famished, and I sneaked down stairs to steal something from the refrigerator-Mikoto-san's onigiri is amazing-when Itachi showed up to see me stuffing my face, and my cheeks filled like a chipmunk's. I have no idea how the hell he had found that endearing."

He must have, though, that unusual man. Something in her lower abdomen warmed at the memory of when he had picked the rice from her face, eating the grains as if they were the closest of friends or dare she say it, _lovers_, and it had been no big deal. She was certain that a girl with a messy face was not usually seen as adorable, but rather, ridiculous.

Sakura braced herself for what was bound to come. "Again, he was nearly too sweet, and we talked for a few minutes, until he almost kissed me. Sasuke ended up showing up though, and his disappeared as his brother arrived in his place."

There was a squeal of delight from Ino. "Seriously? Itachi almost kissed you? Why the hell did Sasuke stop that from happening? That could have been the very best moment of your life, and you let your stupid teammate prevent it from happening! Tell me what he did!" She reprimanded before begging for more, again proving how differently they saw things. The problem was not so much Sasuke's interrupting them, but the fact Itachi had simply taken control of her so easily, so she had wanted him to kiss her. She liked to be in control of herself, and Itachi had been able to grab the reins with little issue. As if it had come naturally to him.

Still, she could not help thinking back to that moment when they had almost kissed as something that had been strangely beautiful. She smiled to herself. "He had pulled me to him almost aggressively," Sakura murmured gently, "and his lips had hovered over mine so that it was almost torture, that bastard. Those few seconds that I had waited to feel him against me had to have been the longest of my entire life. Sasuke must have sensed us from his room though, because Itachi had pressed his lips to my freaking _forehead _instead, and then disappeared. I hadn't even realized Sasuke was coming until he walked into the kitchen, asking what had been with Itachi. I think he's still pissed at us."

Ino smirked knowingly at the pink haired kunoichi's longing expression. She had thought that whatever was going on between her dear friend and the Uchiha heir could not have possibly been like this. She would never have imagined that Itachi would have feelings for Sakura, and that those feelings would be mutual. Ino wondered if Sakura even realized what she looked like, right then. That she looked like a swooning female, daydreaming about her mate. Not that she would ever say anything.

"Forehead, I believe you have discovered the one man in existence who would ever fall in love with your billboard-brow." Ino snickered, only trying to get a rise out of Sakura. She was not disappointed.

"He's not in love with me!" Sakura rebuked.

Ino rolled her eyes, allowing Sakura to get away with it, for just this once, considering her current situation. She could easily see Itachi charming himself further into her life, and persuading her to marry him. "Whatever you say, Forehead, but I would have beaten Sasuke until he was a bloody pulp, healed his sorry ass, then repeated. He certainly deserved it, for ruining such a beautiful moment."

Sakura huffed, wondering how Ino was always able to tell just what she thought about something, because that moment really had been _beautiful_. She was not going to fluff her ego though, and decided to not bring up how sharp her intuition was. "Really now, Ino-pig. Have you forgotten that it was in the middle of the night, and I was in a neighborhood full of Uchiha? The sort of run the Police Force, you know."

Ino waved her hand with a laugh. "They would have let it go," she said, purposefully ignoring Sakura's flat stare, "but anyway, tell me what happened next. How did he tell you that he wished to court?"

Sakura was honestly thankful when the high-pitch, shrilly whistle of her kettle sounded, indicating that the water had boiled. Given the chance she needed to think over how she should continue, Sakura stood abruptly, taking the kettle from the range, and moving about the kitchen to prepare tea. Ino probably was not satisfied with her choice to remain silent as she went about her duty in making the pot of green tea, but Sakura was far from caring. She would hear soon enough.

Pulling down two mugs, Sakura returned to the table, putting the pot of tea between them, letting it the steep before serving. Ino cleared her throat impatiently, a scowl clear on her face. Sakura was half tempted to remain in silence for a few minutes longer, just to spite her friend. Ino, however, could not take it much longer.

"So? Tell me what happened! I want to know what he said!"

Ino was stunned to see Sakura's face suddenly turn grim. "During the attack, I had been working in the ER. It was Shisui who had pulled me away to take me to him, and Itachi had been so covered with blood, I couldn't tell where it was coming from." She looked up from her empty mug with a sad expression. "I had been terrified that I would never see him again, that he would never tease me again, that he would never make my heart soar again. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't succeeding in surgery, and he had died."

Solemnly, Ino nodded, understanding exactly how Sakura felt. The shinobi world was dangerous beyond reason, and anything could happen, even to the most powerful of nin. Itachi could die just as easily as anyone else, and it really _was _a horrifying thought, that they were all so vulnerable, even if they trained every second of their free time. There was always going to be someone stronger out there. Someone who wanted to kill you.

"He survived though," Sakura smiled weakly. "I had really wanted to talk with him about what had almost happened in the kitchen, so when he woke, I tried to speak with him, to gain some sort of understanding." She gulped nervously, buying time by pouring their teas. "He wasn't in the mood for talking, though."

She blushed when Ino almost choked on her tea, obviously knowing what Sakura had meant by that. "He kissed you in the hospital? Tell me what it was like to kiss such a hunk of an Uchiha!" Ino wailed, setting her mug down almost violently. Sakura cringed.

"Yes, we kissed. That is all you need to know. I'm sure you can imagine what it feels like to have your face eaten by a _hunk." _Sakura answered stubbornly, not particularly liking the devious grin on her blonde friend's face. It was never a good sign when Ino gave her a look like that, but Sakura would much rather not know what she was thinking at the moment. It was probably not something good.

"You're talking about full-on make-out sessions, Forehead! This is much more serious than I thought!" She teased, giggling.

Sakura decided it was best to disregard what she had just said, in favor of continuing onwards. It could not possibly get worse than it already was. "After _that _he asked me if I had seen my mother yet. When I told him I had not, he offered to take me himself." Sakura pressed, giving Ino a look that clearly meant she should drop the whole _make-out session _thought from her head. "Before we could leave the room, he made his feelings known."

Ino was quiet, uncharacteristic for her to be sure, while she contemplated over what this signified. For one, Sakura was right, because Itachi was a traditional type of man. The only conclusion she could reach was that he had wanted to have something of an official relationship with her before seeing her parents. This is also why he had announced his desire to romantically pursue their daughter. He must have been seeking their approval. By the sounds of it, Uchiha Itachi was your regular, chivalrous, knight in shining armor that every girl dreamed about it. She could not imagine him having any other reason for him to declare his intentions; he sought Sakura's hand. It was so sweet, it was making her slightly jealous.

Of course, he would also want to confront his own parents, and wish to make proper introductions between them and Sakura. Ino knew very well how clans could be, and she felt the need to warn her friend.

"It makes sense that he would want to tell you his aim for you, Sakura. Itachi seems to be as you said, the classic sort man in pursuit of a woman he eventually wishes to tie himself down to. He appears to be a little impatient, and that is why he told your parents already, but I'm sure he would slow himself if you expressed any objections to your current course." Ino said knowledgeably, "but you should know, he's going to want to do the same with his own parents, and it won't be so simple. Considering the fact the Uchiha clan has been trying to pressure him into marriage for a few years now, and he has now found an acceptable bride, they will push a wedding, without any hesitation."

Sakura looked down at her half-full mug of tea, feeling slightly nauseated.

"Tell me how your parent's reacted to it, though." Ino ordered.

Sakura buried her face in her hands with shame. "Oh, Ino-pig, you should have seen them. I don't think I've ever seen my mother look so happy, and even my father seemed pleased by the idea of me having a relationship with Itachi, and you know how ridiculously protective he can be, when it comes to men!" Sakura groaned, fisting her hair in frustration.

Itachi had been so preposterously relaxed with the entire, awkward situation, too, walking her down the hall with clear possession, and utterly unashamed that he was out and about in a hospital gown. He had not even known where her mother's room was, but he had somehow found it anyway. When she had been too apprehensive to so much as open the door, he had strategically placed his hand on her hip and opened the door for her.

Unperturbed, he had leaned against the wall farthest from her and her parents as she made up with her mother, observing their actions with a keen eye. He had later explained that he had not wanted to interrupt or intrude on their family time, when Sakura had asked, only bewildering her further. He had been completely silent the entire time, even when her mother and father had given him questioning glances at their entrance, and how intimately he had stood next to her. As if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

In fact, he had not said a word until he had finally deemed it appropriate for him to divulge his object of interest-_her. _He had been so painfully blunt about it as well, with no preamble to his admittance. _"I am courting your daughter," _he had said frankly, gaging their reactions with dark, onyx eyes. Even Sakura's jaw had dropped at how candid he had said it, especially since she had hardly expected him to bring it up before her parents so soon.

It was not his suit that bothered her so much, it was how fast they were moving. She felt that she had hardly been given the chance to know him, and it was as if they were doing everything backwards. First they had bickered like an elderly couple, only then participating in acts of intimacy, before asking to get to know her properly. What was next? She had to wonder to herself if they would fear cooties, like a pair of five year olds.

Considering how it had felt kissing him, she doubted it.

Ino reached over to pat Sakura's shoulder, sensing her distress. "Sakura, if you don't want this, you can always end it. Tell him you need more time to think about it, and give yourself the chance to decide if you really want to be involved with him. He can't force you to be in a relationship with him."

Sakura cried at the thought. "I don't want to do that, Ino!" She mourned. "I already know I want him my life, even if I still feel like it's wrong to be involved with the brother of my own teammate. I can't help feeling that I would never be perfectly satisfied with my life if I didn't have him a part of it, but at the same time, I feel as if I haven't been given the chance to know him yet. This is all too fast for me, and I want to just sit down and get to know each other properly, before taking another step. I can't decide, _oh, he's the one, _without hardly knowing who he is!"

"Then tell him that! I'm sure Itachi will understand your need to know him better, and he'll respect your wishes. It's better to do this now, before going to the Uchiha clan with him to announce your relationship, because they are not going to easily accept it. He needs to be able to properly support you, and to do that, he needs to know you."

Sakura sighed, staring down at her empty cup. "You're right, Ino."

"Of course I am," she snickered, "and when all else fails, have some wonderful, mind-blowing sex and call it good."

"Ino-pig!"

* * *

It was early, only just daybreak, and he was the only one besides his father that was already awake. Itachi was in no mood to deal with his father, and rarely ever want to speak with him, so I kept up his habit daily habit. The training grounds were almost always empty this time of day, considering the fact winter was approaching, and the air was cold. Only the most dedicated of shinobi would ever train this early, and most of them were ANBU, and ranked bellow him.

He was used to spending his mornings alone, but it was pleasantly surprised when he reached his spot, looking up in the elm tree to find Sakura perched up on the same branch he often lazed on after a good training session. Itachi did not question why she was there, smirking to himself as he leapt up to the branch with practiced ease. Her feet dangled below, with her legs crossed and hands at either side. She wore her usual red vest, despite the cold, and though she did not visibly show it, Itachi knew she must have felt the brisk air acutely.

Sitting beside her, he curled an arm about her shoulders.

"Itachi, I wanted to talk with you about something," she breathed, making him pause. He swept pink strands of hair behind her ear and out of her face.

"I will listen to whatever you have to say, Sakura." Itachi answered calmly, resisting the temptation to kiss her cold-bitten, reddening cheeks. She nodded, but remained quiet for a moment, inching closer to take in his warmth. Satisfied, she looked up at him through rose eyelashes with a certain shyness that he had not expected to see from her.

She sighed to herself. "I know you want to take me to formally meet your parents, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet." She started carefully, staring up into his surprisingly warm eyes. "I know what sort of things they will say, even if neither of us is prepared for what they expect. I don't want to be forced into marriage so quickly after entering a courtship. I feel that we haven't been given the chance to know each other yet."

He was suddenly reminded of something Shisui had once told him, while nursing a particularly painful looking bruise. _You can't just expect her to say yes. You have to prove yourself to her first, if you want to win a woman's heart. _It had not made sense then, but now, somehow, it did. Itachi was unsurprised by her request, and her point was valid. They hardly knew each other, and she was right, because as soon as his father caught wind of his wooing Sakura, they would be forced into wedding, and need to produce an heir. It was much too soon for these things to happen, and he would never force her to do such things when he himself was not yet prepared.

"How do you suggest we solve this problem, then?" He asked back softly, eyes slowly dropping to her lips, before forcibly dragging back up to her startling green orbs, observing with quiet satisfaction as they lit up brilliantly, like a pair of emeralds. She looked slightly abashed, and again, she crept closer. He smirked slightly down at her.

"Are you free tomorrow night for dinner?"

"As long as there isn't any ramen," He answered dryly. She gave him a horrified look.

"I've had enough to last a lifetime, thank you very much!" Sakura cried in indignation.

Itachi tried not to laugh. "I don't doubt you."

Giving him a small peal of laughter, she leaned into him completely, pulling him down by the shirt for a kiss. He scooped her up into his arms, engulfing her with his scent of pine, peppermint, and fresh rainwater, and pulling her so close that there was no air for them to breathe. This time, she did not pull away, even if they were close enough to feel each other's heartbeats, and gave into her physical desires. The attraction was clear, and she knew, they only needed more time before the emotional attachment would come as well.

* * *

It was midmorning, by the time Itachi had returned home. As much as he hated to admit his own weakness, Itachi had been completely distracted, even while doing the most simple of drills. His father would have disapproved, he thought with slight amusement, for him to have chosen a woman who was so diverting, so that he could pay no attention to anything else. Even he thought it was slightly unnerving, that she was capable of doing such things to him. Sakura was definitely something else.

With a small huff, he stepped into the Uchiha main household, pausing in the foyer to remove his shinobi sandals, before continuing on to the kitchen. Sasuke was already gone, undoubtedly training with his teammates, leaving his mother and father. He did not meet his father's eyes as he took his seat at the table, a simple breakfast of rice and fried fish in hand. Itachi ate in silence, his father preoccupied with the paper, and his mother drinking her tea, deep in thought.

It was only when Itachi had just finished his meal, and had about to stand to excuse himself, had Uchiha Fugaku folded the day's newspaper in quarters and set it down. "There is something interesting I've heard recently, Itachi." He started calmly, elbows propped on the tabletop, and his fingers laced together. Itachi did not respond, already able to tell that he was not going to like this conversation, and hoping that if he did not react in the way his father wanted him to, it would be dropped.

Unfortunately, his father was not going to let him go so easily. "It has been said that you are in a relationship with Haruno Sakura, the Hokage's apprentice, and Sasuke's teammate. When did you intend to bring her home?"

Itachi masked his expression with a carefully trained facade of indifference, not wanting his father to know this question irked him. He had hoped his family would not hear about his developing relationship with Sakura so soon, but he was well aware of how Konoha so adored a good gossip story. It appeared he and Sakura were the main focus of their attention, for the time being. Hopefully, that would not last long.

"It is too soon," Itachi stated cooly. "She is not ready to formally introduce herself, and nor is she prepared to become my wife. When she _is _ready to come here, then I will bring her, but not before then. She has already addressed this concern of hers." He finished with a stony expression meant to deter his father from speaking further on the matter.

It was then that his mother butted in. "Is that what you plan on doing, Itachi-chan? Do you wish to make Sakura your wife?"

It took Itachi a long moment to come up with a proper response to this. He hardly had put any thought into reaching that level with her, knowing that if it ever did happen, it would not be for a long while. Itachi understood how delicate the nature of their relations were, and if pushed, Sakura would pull back in retaliation. He could not pressure her to become wife to the Uchiha heir, with the knowledge that she would eventually have to become clan matriarch. It was not an easy job to complete, he knew that from years of watching his own mother. Sakura had to know what being the wife of Uchiha Itachi meant before he even considered dropping to one knee and asking for her hand.

Still, the thought of her being completely bound to him was not unpleasant at all. He found it rather pleasing, instead. Could Sakura one day be his wife? Of course, that was courting often led to, so he should have thought of this sooner. He could only blame this on the fact he was so socially inexperienced, and knew little about the customs that revolved around marriage and courtship.

"If she will take me, then yes," Itachi answered quietly. He was suddenly reminded that he _had _told her she would one day bear a child, when she had been so worried she was incapable of conceiving. He had not considered it until then, but one day, that child could be his. Something unfamiliar and warm fluttered in his chest.

Fugaku grunted at his response. "What do you mean, if she will take you, Itachi? Doesn't she realize what an honor it would be to wed the Uchiha heir? Not every woman is worthy of becoming the Uchiha matriarch, and you make her sound as if our traditions mean nothing to her. She should consider herself fortunate as your possible future wife."

If only his father could hear what was coming out of his own mouth, Itachi could not help but to think. Sakura was not after his title, or the power that came with being his spouse. She was not interested in tradition, even if she showed respect for it. Sakura was the sort that had no motive to what she did. If she was at all interested in being his other half, it was more for their mutual happiness, rather than whatever riches the Uchiha clan could offer her.

"That's because it _does _mean nothing to her," Itachi murmured, softly smiling inwardly. "She isn't after my name, unlike whatever woman you have deemed acceptable to become my wife. For once, I'm the one chasing after someone else."

With that, Itachi stood, leaving without another word.

* * *

AN: I'm fucking pissed. Seriously. I want to kill someone. And not just anyone. I want to kill my foolish, little brother. Why, you ask? He decided that he _had _to use my computer to do something. What happened then? I had nine pages of unsaved work deleted because he turned it off. And now this chapter is suckish, because I had written it perfectly, and then I had to try to recreate it. That didn't work out too well. Grr.

Sorry for the boring chapter, with so little ItaSaku. Still, please drop me a review! It feeds the starving artist! :D


	14. Stuck Between

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto. But when I gain world domination...

* * *

This is it, I'm shaking. My body's aching, I lose my hold, I will let go.

This is it, I'm falling. My wings need to grow, I lose my hold, I will let go.

* * *

Panic washed over her in waves. Biting her lip, Sakura looked up at the clock. She had twenty minutes, and then it would be six o'clock. Suddenly, she regretted turning down Ino's kind offer of helping her prepare, in fear of the blonde kunoichi dressing her in something wholly inappropriate for the occasion. Sakura had known that she would have ended up walking down the street in a pair of stilettos she had not realized she had even owned, makeup done so that she looked like a prostitute, and a skirt that was much too short to be worn outside her apartment. She loved Ino as her best friend in the whole world, but as far as fashion went, Sakura had her limits.

Finally, she decided to hell with it. She had never worried about her appearance around Itachi before, and Sakura refused to lower herself to such superficiality now. Seeing her properly rested and _not _covered with blood would be an improvement anyway, so he should have been happy to look at her now. Trying to remain confident, she glanced over her wardrobe, until her eyes caught something she could deem appropriate. She hoped Itachi thought so too, since he had not told her exactly where they were going, and only said when he would arrive at her small apartment.

It was getting more cool in Konoha with the oncoming winter, and though it never got nearly as cold as Yukigakure or Kumogakure this late in the year, she could not walk around in a summer dress either. Yet, she was rather pleased with how she looked when she pulled her deep maroon sweater-dress over her head and looked in the mirror. It hung about three inches above her knees, and the sleeves went to her elbows. She smirked to herself; Ino would never have approved of her wearing this on a date with the Uchiha heir, but Sakura wanted to be _comfortable _when she walked down the street with him. She could breathe in this dress, and now that she thought of it, she saw no reason to cake on the thick layers of makeup or to put on the four-inch heels she abhorred.

So, she ran a brush through her hair, and decided to not wear any makeup at all. She wanted to be real with Itachi, and he had already seen a lot of her. It would not make sense if she suddenly decided to doll herself up for him, when she never had before. Glancing up at the clock again, she realized he would be over in five minutes, if he was the sort to be exactly on time no matter what, which she suspected he was. Sparing herself one, last look into the mirror, she strapped her kunai pouch on around her thigh under the dress just in case, and put on her favorite pair of boots. One could never be too careful, in her line of work.

Right on time, she heard the doorbell ring. For a second, she felt alarm rush through her, but Sakura told herself she was being ridiculous. She had no reason to be feeling nervous around Itachi, when they had already become relatively intimate with each other, and he had never done anything to really cause her to lose all control. Sighing shakily, she snatched the small purse thats sole purpose was to carry enough money to pay for her own meal. Smiling, she opened the door for him.

As usual, he was unjustly good looking. How all Uchiha could manage to both be powerful beyond comprehension, but drop dead gorgeous as well, Sakura would never know. Of course, Sakura had never thought of Itachi quite like this before, but it suddenly struck her that she was rather out of place next to such an attractive man, and she could not help loosing some of her self-assurance. He simply looked too stunning, standing there in her doorway, and it was not as if he were dressed in anything particularly special, but it was as if she had never truly realized it before.

Sakura swore he was the only person alive that could look like a professional model while wearing a standard, high collared, long-sleeved shirt and shinobi pants. She did not allow herself to gape at him though, and ignoring the appreciative look he was sending her, she stepped out into the night, locking her front door behind her. He smelled good, she thought blearily, as if he had just taken a shower.

"You look lovely," he practically purred, stating his approval. Sakura blushed, uncertain of how she should respond. She had never expected him to react like this when she was only wearing a sweater-dress that covered more than it showed, yet she was afraid he was going to start drooling, with the way he was looking at her. Still, she gave him a bright smile.

"Thank you, Itachi," She grinned, slipping her arm around his, "you clean up very nicely as well." At this, he did not vocally respond to her, instead preferring to place a soft kiss to her forehead. Perhaps Ino was right about one thing when it came to Itachi, because he clearly had some sort of attachment to her large billboard-brow. She had never believed it was possible, but Sakura supposed there was such a thing as a miracle; there was no other way a man like Itachi would have ever liked her most-hated feature so much.

He was still staring down at her warmly, and now she was beginning to feel awkward. She cleared her throat. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going now, or is still going to be a secret?" Sakura teased.

Itachi refrained from rolling his eyes. "It is no secret, Sakura." He said, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. "I simply haven't told you yet."

With that, he gently led her down the narrow staircase that went up to her apartment floor, and down to the streets below. The sun was already set at this time of night, meaning it was cooling down more so, and she was increasingly glad she had not asked Ino over to prepare herself. She would have frozen to death, and embarrassed herself in front of Itachi. He was quiet as they made their way to Konoha's main street, and she was content with that.

The civilian areas had practically been empty, which she was glad for, because she was already expecting chaos when they entered a more populated area. Them walking together like this, even if they had only hooked their arms together, would be confirming everything for the people who had gossiped about their relationship for the past few weeks. She tried not to be afraid of what that meant. So, when they finally reached the more densely inhabited part of Konoha, she loosened her arm around his and took his hand instead, squeezing it lightly in a casual hold.

At first, no one seemed to notice them even being there, and for that, Sakura was happy. Almost everyone else were, just like them, finding an appropriate restaurant for their tastes, and were paying little attention to those around them. Much to her surprise, even when they did realize that she and Itachi were linked hand in hand, and walking down the street in ease, they did not have the ridiculous reactions she had foreseen. The ones that were obviously fangirls would ogle at them in horror, distressed by the thought that their favorite piece of Uchiha meat was otherwise attached. Besides that, the general public did not do much.

It was a short, five minute walk before they reached a small, family-owned establishment. Sakura had never eaten at the bistro he had taken her to, but had passed by it on multiple occasions, when Naruto had dragged her to Ichiraku Ramen after a particularly long shift at the hospital. She had never thought she would get the chance to eat there, since Sasuke always liked eating at home, Naruto refused to go anywhere that served anything but ramen, and when she ate on her own, it was at a bar, for the most part. When they stepped inside the quaint restaurant, however, Sakura was certain she would come again; if not with Itachi, then during a girl's night with Ino.

They were greeted at the door by a young woman with mousy, brown hair and blue eyes. "Uchiha-san, how good to see you again! Otou-san was beginning to believe you would never be back," She exclaimed wholeheartedly, pausing to look around him. "But where's Shisui-san? We miss him too." Then she set eyes on Sakura, a smile slowly spreading.

"I'm afraid Shisui will not be joining us this evening," Itachi replied calmly to the hostess, "but we would appreciate a table for two."

Her grin was nearly devious. "A date, Uchiha-san? You surprise me," the girl teased, before continuing in complete seriousness, "if you wait for a few minutes, I can get you two a table in the back, where none of those nasty things masquerading as women can spy on you." She said wisely.

Itachi nodded, "That would be much appreciated, Tanaka-san," he answered smoothly. "We will wait for the back table, in the corner, if possible."

She winked at them both, assuring them that they would get the very table he asked for, before she went to help the next couple as they walked into the eatery. Slightly surprised by what she had just witnessed, Sakura looked up at Itachi, as if to ask just how often he came to this particular restaurant. He did not need to ask what she meant.

"Shisui and I used to come here often after our ANBU missions. As of late, however, we have not had the time to do so."

Sakura was beginning to realize that there was much she had yet to learn about Itachi.

* * *

The day had been going quite well for Sasuke. He had trained with Team Seven for an hour or two that morning after having slept in, went out to a tempura restaurant with Naruto and Sakura instead of Ichiraku for lunch, before they had gone there separate ways. He had been summoned by Tsunade late in the afternoon to get a solo-mission, which he was looking forward to doing, then gone home to find his mother cooking his favorite winter meal for dinner. Itachi leaving the house so soon before dinner had seemed strange, but his thoughts had been muddled by the wonderful smells of mizutaki. So, he had chosen to ignore it.

When he sat down, however, and saw that Itachi's seat across from his own was vacant still, when dinner would be served in a matter of minutes, Sasuke realized something must have been up. Foolishly, he had decided to ask just where his older brother had disappeared to, ruining the perfectly wonderful day. "Okaa-san, where's Itachi?"

Those three, simple words was all it took. He had to wonder sometimes, why he even bothered. Life would be much easier for him if he did not care.

"Itachi-chan didn't tell you?" His mother asked back, bringing a large, cast iron pot to the table. "He told me yesterday that he was not going to be joining us for dinner tonight. I think he took Sakura-chan out for a date, but knowing him, he could be going somewhere with Shisui-kun as well." She informed him with a smile, not having to question why her youngest son was staring up at her like he had seen a ghost.

"He took Sakura, _my _teammate, on a...date?" Sasuke asked, obviously horrified by the very thought of it. Mikoto laughed in response. She could tell that her son was jealous already, not so much because he was romantically interested in Sakura, but because he did not particularly like being shown up by his older brother. If Itachi had found a woman, Sasuke would, as far as he was concerned, looked down upon for not courting a woman as well. She knew very well she could use this to her own benefit, because one son married was not nearly as good as two.

She smiled gently. "Well, of course he did, Sasuke-chan. It's natural for your older brother to do so. They _are _official now." Mikoto said, watching as her son's expression turned from disgusted to angered. She was unsurprised; she had said this to Sasuke only to push him into finally acting, so he too would find himself a proper bride. Mikoto did not want her second son to suffer the clan's overbearing eye on him as Itachi had, constantly urging him to wed. If _Itachi, _the embodiment of self-control, could not handle such a thing, Sasuke surely could not.

"Official?" His voice cracked. "Since when?"

Mikoto could hardly contain her smirk. "Yesterday, your brother came to your father and myself to inform us what he intentions are for Sakura-chan. He will court her now, and if all goes well with that, I'm hoping he will take her as his bride."

This was just the sort of push her son needed, Mikoto was certain. She could nearly see the envy rolling off Sasuke in waves, but she realized there was something else, as well. A protectiveness she had not expected. How could she have forgotten? Half of Konoha had heard of what insane lengths both Sasuke and Naruto would go to be sure that their dearest, kunoichi teammate remained untouched. Naive, yes, but understandable. Both shinobi probably saw their friend as emotionally vulnerable, and easy to be taken advantage of, but if they never allowed her to have any sort of relationship, she would never grow out of that. And Mikoto wanted grandchildren. So eventually, she was going to have to lose her chastity, whether they liked it or not.

Sasuke all but growled. Fugaku entered the kitchen for dinner as well, watching with his usual, stony expression as his youngest son stood. He did not need to ask what it was they had been talking about, because it was weighing heavily on his mind as well.

"Excuse me," Sasuke grumbled darkly, bowing abruptly before calmly leaving the room. He only just heard his mother sigh in disappointment, but he could not make himself stop. Sakura had no idea just what she was getting herself into, by entering a relationship with the Uchiha heir. There was much more expected from her than to simply become Itachi's wife. She would have to produce an heir, with his brother, no less. Then she would be required to devote her entire being to the clan, at some point becoming the Uchiha matriarch. That was what marrying Itachi meant.

He pulled his sandals on before trudging out the door, silently wondering what he could really do, in his situation. Sasuke was well aware that Sakura would never pay him any heed, if he tried to explain this to her. She would see it as him being overprotective of her. In all honesty, he just did not want to see her living her entire life at Itachi's side, and completely miserable. He could not imagine her ever being happy, living out the rest of her days serving a clan that would never truly respect her, an outsider, and dealing with the same political issues his mother and father faced on a daily basis.

In the meantime, he had to get Naruto. They would watch her, and make sure that his brother did not lay a single finger on Sakura. Naruto would help him come up with a plan that would seem unlikely, but somehow pull it through in the end. Somehow, they would pull this to a close together, because that was what friends were for.

* * *

Sakura peeked up from the menu she had been looking over for the past four minutes. Itachi had not uttered a word, also contemplating what he should order, and was quietly perusing his menu in search of something he found particularly appetizing. She found herself much too distracted by his silence to do much more than gape up at him. Sakura did not presume that he was unaware of her regard. If anything, Itachi was choosing to ignore it momentarily.

Finally, he huffed, having reached his decision, and he closed his menu to meet her gaze. His small smirk was evident in his aristocratic features. "So, Sakura," he murmured, his voice warm and smooth, "When did you plan to tell me you had somehow conceived with my child?"

Sakura stared up at him like a fish out of water, disbelief at his audacity very clear. At first, she had not been sure what he meant, and simply blushed furiously, her entire face turning a bright crimson. It took a few moments for it to hit her that he was joking, and not at all being serious with her. She could only assume that he wanted to address the rumors about their relationship.

Well, two could play at that. "I'm afraid you're going to have to tell me, Itachi, because I certainly don't remember that happening. Is there something you need to say?" She asked back, regaining her composure. Hoping to cool down slightly, she took a sip from he glass of water, staring down at the tabletop instead of at him. If he was at all let down by her instinctive reaction, he did not make it known.

He hummed with amusement. "I wished to know your opinion on the current rumor about us." Itachi answered frankly. Sakura rolled her eyes, wondering if he could have figured out a less awkward way to ask her such a simple thing. Then again, if he had known a better way to ask her opinion, he probably would have still done it his way for his own amusement. Setting the glass of ice water down, she met his gaze steadily.

"I think that as far as the public goes, it is none of their business, and they should keep their noses out of our lives. If anything becomes of our relationship, we should be the ones to share it, not some bored, elderly lady in the marketplace that has nothing better to do with her time, besides spread false rumors and complain about their sore backs." Sakura replied just as bluntly. Itachi's lip twitched, turning up slightly in his mirth.

"It does not matter to you, what they think?" He asked slowly.

With a small sigh, Sakura shook her head. "They can think whatever the hell they want. It doesn't make it true. I know I'm not pregnant, you can probably figure I'm not pregnant, and that's all that matters right now." She stated, searching his eyes for approval. "Hypothetically, if anything comes of this, we both know it won't be because of my having your child out of wedlock."

At this, Itachi shook his head. While he definitely agreed that the public's opinion did not matter at all, he could not agree with what else she had said in response. "Whoever first decided that we are now engaged because I impregnated you would not be that far off, from guessing how I would react. They know I would never wish to have a bastard as a child, and is using that knowledge to tarnish your reputation."

Sakura's eyebrow lifted. "Really now, you would marry any woman, just to avoid her giving birth to your bastard?" She questioned dubiously.

At that, he smirked. "I never said _that," _he replied dryly. He could tell that she would want him to elaborate further. "What I meant was that if a woman was carrying my child and not already my wife, she would be well on the way to marrying me. I am not one to throw caution to the wind and sleep with a woman I feel nothing for, and once I decide I want something, such as a certain woman as my wife, I will not stop until I get it."

Sakura was certain she should be taking this as an immediate threat. He was practically proclaiming his intention to make her his wife, and something in her chest swelled at the thought. Whether she liked this feeling or not, Sakura did not yet know. She decided to ignore his obvious declaration though, not wanting to feed his interest in her yet, when she was still uncertain of what she wanted with him.

Casually, she changed the subject. "That surprises me," she said softly, "I had always assumed you were the sort of traditional man who would wait until trading vows to ever have sex with anyone."

He was thoughtful for a moment, thinking over what this could possibly mean. He did not yet know her feelings on such things, and was unsure if it was the best time to ask. "In most cases, I suppose I would be considered traditional," Itachi allowed. "I am not the type to waltz up to any attractive woman I see and flirt like a madman, as my cousin often does."

Sakura had to snort at that. "I could have figured that much, Itachi. It was pretty obvious that you would never act like Shisui, because that isn't in your nature. I don't expect that of you."

Without replying, Itachi turned, and Sakura realized there was a waitress standing there, a small blush warming her cheeks. The civilian woman held up a pad of paper in preparation to take their orders. Quickly, Sakura scanned over the menu again, hoping Itachi would take the hint, and order first. She did not want to look like an indecisive child, unable to even make up her mind about what she wished to eat.

Fortunately, he took the hint. "I will have the misoyaki butterfish, please, and a small bottle of nigori sake." Itachi stated, handing her the small menu, before turning back to Sakura.

Sakura could not help the feeling of displeasure that rose when she saw the young waitress simpering at Itachi. Did she not realize that she was sitting right there with him, in a secluded corner of the restaurant that promised privacy? Very clearly, she was on a date with the Uchiha heir; even an obtuse woman like this waitress should have been able to tell that much. Then, she gave him a small, subtle glare. Sakura's lip twitched, and already she could tell. This had to have been one of his many fangirls.

Frustrated by this thought, and feeling uncomfortable under their joint stares, Sakura snapped her menu shut and handed it to the waitress. "I'll have the special, thank you."

She had no idea just what that was, but at the moment, could not think about what it could possibly be. Anger just only bellow the surface, Sakura turned to Itachi, trying not to glare. She was not upset with him, of course, because he surely did not ask for the attention he was given, and was known to hate it. At this point, she could not blame him, because all the scrutiny she was under now worsened her temper. Everyone could not help stealing a peek at the girl who was _apparently _pregnant with Itachi's child, and soon to become his lawful wife.

Itachi, however, wore an entertained face, probably having been able to tell just what she had been thinking about. "Be careful, Sakura, or I may begin to think you are jealous of our _waitress. _You don't want me to take that seriously," He noted smartly, finally bringing out the glare she had attempted hold back. Itachi loved that glower of hers, even when it was directed at him, because it gave him an easy view of such raw, pure emotions that he found easy to read. She had no idea how much he loved that look on her face.

"I'm not jealous of her!" Sakura wailed, only remembering then that they were in public, and that she should not yell at her date while waiting for dinner to arrive to their table. "If some man decided to walk up to our table and make googly-eyes at _me, _you wouldn't like it either." She hoped he would not, anyway.

His expression softened. "I would never allow such a thing," Itachi answered steadily, catching her victorious look, before continuing. "However, that is not what happened here. She works here, and it was her job to approach her. If you really have a problem with the way that woman looked at me, say something. I'm quite certain that you are capable of scaring off a _civilian._ You have no need to fear competition."

Sakura only just caught the heated gleam in his eyes, before it disappeared in a flash. "You would love to see me pick a fight with a girl over you, wouldn't you?" She snapped, rolling her eyes. As if his ego were not big enough as it was. It did not need the chance to grow, if you asked Sakura. "Besides, do you really have to worry about other men, either? I doubt you have any real competition in my case."

Itachi paused thoughtfully. She really had no idea what sort of appeal she had, because if she did, she would know how many suitors she attracted to her. Itachi had seen enough to know she was an extremely popular kunoichi, even if she had so little experience with relationships. There were several shinobi that had, at one time or another, tried to catch her attention, and he was well aware that some had succeeded. Then there were the civilian males who saw her around town, or her patients, who would feel attracted to her after having their lives saved by her. His foolish, younger brother and Uzumaki were protecting her so well that she could not perceive how beautiful she really was, because they did not let her see just who was chasing her.

He was going to use this to his own convenience, though, so he would not say just what her teammates were up to.

* * *

Naruto groaned to himself. He had been happily asleep, after a long day and a filling five bowls of Ichiraku ramen. Only to be awakened by a loud thumping on his door. He could already tell just who it was outside his apartment, and Naruto was not in the mood, after such a wonderful day, to hear whatever miserable, pessimistic thing Sasuke had to say. Naruto just _knew _he was not going to like it, whatever it was, but he also knew that if he did not open the door himself, he was going to have to replace it when Sasuke kicked it in.

Tiredly, he threw off the blankets he had been cocooned in, and stepped to the door, opening it before Sasuke could start pounding his fist against it again. In the threshold stood an obviously panicked Uchiha.

"Get dressed, _now," _he ordered darkly. "My brother has stepped too far, and we are going to be sure he doesn't do something he can't take back."

Naruto did not need telling twice. He could tell that _whatever _this was about, he was not going to like it in the least. He did not particularly like Itachi to begin with, but now that everyone was saying he was in a relationship with his kunoichi teammate, Naruto had grown to hate the Uchiha. That certainly said a lot, since he was somewhat known for giving everyone he met a second chance, and was never known to hate another person, no matter what they had done to him. Sakura, however, was another matter all together, and he was under the terrifying impression that this was going to be more about her than Uchiha Itachi.

Throughly worried for the girl who he had come to know as his sister, Naruto hastily locked his front door, fully dressed and prepared for the worst. There was no telling what he was about to witness, based off how horribly Sasuke had looked. For all Naruto knew, he was about to see his dear friend in the middle of an intimate act he would much rather not know about. This was Sakura though, and it was his job, it had been since being placed onto the same genin team, to protect her, no matter what that meant.

"What did that Uchiha bastard do to her?" Naruto growled, following Sasuke to the rooftops, where it would be easiest for them to travel, and hopefully find the unlikely duo.

Sasuke was so frustrated with the situation, he ignored the insult dealt to his family name. As far as he was concerned, Itachi _was _a bastard. "He's taking her on a date," Sasuke answered through clenched teeth, "and knowing Itachi, that could mean anything." He had known his brother for too long to do anything less than expect the absolute worst.

Naruto nearly snarled at the very idea. Both males sped ahead, Sasuke leading the way. He already knew just where his brother would take her, since there was only one restaurant in Konohagakure that he was a regular customer to, besides the small dango shop on the very corner of the village, where few ever went. Shisui went with him often, so it would not have been much of a surprise if Itachi had taken Sakura there as well.

His suspicions were found scarily correct, when they halted on the slanted roof-tiles of the family owned restaurant. It was their chakra signatures that first gave them away, in the corner of the establishment, their energies flowing peacefully. Sasuke held his hand up, masking his own signature, and demanding Naruto to do the same. Closing his eyes, Sasuke concentrated his hearing, trying to catch something of what was being said between them. He could only hope that their reasoning for meeting somewhere for dinner was nothing personal, and for the purpose of business, but the chances of that were bleak. Itachi would have invited her to their home, if that were the case, so they could speak in the office, rather than in public.

Then, he honed his senses, and was mortified to hear his kunoichi teammate, with her sweet, crystalline voice, tinkle with laughter, undoubtedly because of something his brother had said or done. It was not the sort of giggle he had become accustomed to, with Sakura, but something that hinted her flirting. Eyes completely wide now, he listened closer, only just barely picking up the amused huff his brother had given in return to her laughter. _What the hell was going on in there?_

He silently exchanged glances with Naruto, who, by his expression, had heard them both as well. The situation was much more dire than they had anticipated. They could never have imagined that Sakura would _enjoy _Itachi's company, and had rather hoped she would have been discontent and wishing his speedy departure. This was going to make for a messy ending, Sasuke could tell. He was beginning to wonder if it was in his best interest to bring Naruto along, after all.

Words were indistinguishable, but it was easy to guess that they were both content in each other's society. Itachi's voice was calm and smooth, yet somehow unusually warm, a disturbing thought in itself, while Sakura gave him the same rapt attention she gave them, her own teammates. She was happy, and while that disgusted them both, Naruto and Sasuke both were well aware of the consequences if they dared interrupt their _date. _Not only would they have an irate Itachi after them, but an extremely violent kunoichi as well.

Neither shinobi where quite sure of how long they had stayed up there, crouched over and straining to hear what transpired between the Uchiha heir and their beloved teammate. Eventually, however, the dinner had reached a conclusion, and they made an unhurried exit, arms comfortably linked, as if they truly were..._together. _The sight of that alone said everything about where Itachi stood in their relationship, if he was enough at ease to make physical contact with her so casually. Sasuke gulped, stalking them in the shadows while trying to be sure Naruto did not pounce his elder brother, giving away their presence.

Every bit the gentleman, Itachi had led Sakura home, which both males supposed was acceptable, since they did not particularly enjoy the idea of her walking out in the night on her own, even if she was an accomplished kunoichi. It was only a moment after they had reached the door of Sakura's little apartment that Sasuke knew his brother had really crossed the line.

* * *

With an air of entertainment, Itachi glanced over Sakura's shoulder, not needing to see them to know that his foolish otouto and Naruto had followed them, and were watching. Perhaps it was because he had gotten to see Sakura so jealous, and over a waitress at that, that he was in such a good mood. Maybe it was because he had gotten to see her pick at the special she had ordered without realizing just what it was, before having her nibble off his own plate. Whatever the case, he was startlingly high spirited, and feeling out of character.

Otherwise, he probably would not have taunted them, knowing it would only boil their blood.

"Your teammates are watching, you know," he had breathed into her ear, gently pushing away strands of silky, pink hair. That alone would have angered them. Sakura was unsurprised to hear this, smirking in response.

"Tell me something I don't know," she murmured back, before pausing momentarily. "You are planning to tease them, aren't you."

Itachi would not deny the truth. "They should not be following us around. If they see something they don't want to see, that is their own fault." He hummed in response, eyes focussed solely on her. Sakura nearly buckled under the heat of his glance, unable to resist when he pulled her into his warm, hard chest, muscles rippling around her. His clean scent was starting to make her dizzy, with the proximity.

It did not matter that it would infuriate her two of her best friends to no end, because for some reason, he seemed to fit with her, as his mouth closed in on hers, dominating her, heart and soul. It was selfish, and she was still so confused about how she should feel, but Sakura wanted him to kiss her. She should have been afraid of what that meant, but at the moment, nothing else mattered. Not even Sasuke and Naruto, whose chakra had flared up at seeing them tangled together in a moment of intimacy and passion.

* * *

AN: I AM SO SORRY! I took such a long time to get this updated, but please forgive me! I had a hectic few weeks, you know. I had finals, graduated from high school, and had a drunken adventure in Mexico. (It's really hard to be vegan there, unfortunately.) I swear, while I was in Cabo, the last thing I was thinking about was my fanfics, but please don't be too upset. Hopefully, this rushed chapter wasn't too crappy, and makes up for the delay.

As always, thank you for the reviews! They are always appreciated. The starving artist was happy to be fed, but is always hungry for more! :D


	15. Coldblooded Creatures

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Unfortunately.

* * *

I'll cut you out just to hear you scream; get away from...get away from me!

And I can feel my heartbeat racing as I realize what I must do.

* * *

Tsunade's fists came down on her poor, abused desk, and she stood angrily, glaring straight at the Uchiha heir. He remained as unruffled as ever, standing impassively, waiting for her to make a response of some sort. She was sorely tempted to take out that emergency bottle of sake from the secret compartment in her desk, just to take the edge off, because this was insanity.

"You mean to tell me you have no idea who it was you saw outside that cell?" She asked, darkly, rereading part of his report again, "Even after doing some investigating of your own?"

Itachi bowed his head respectfully, because it was as she said. A week after Akatsuki had invaded Konoha with intent to retrieve Deidara and Yakushi Kabuto, he still had not find out just who had been standing guard outside the prisoner holding as the traitor spoke with their captives. He had access to most information by being an ANBU captain, and had taken advantage of that by searching through the profiles of every shinobi loyal to Konoha. Still, he had found nothing, even after going through possible ANBU operatives that could have had easier entrance into Sub-level Four.

That person, whoever they were, was the only link they had to finding out who the traitor was, and it was of up-most importance they found him. Itachi had considered the possibility that the man standing guard could have been a shinobi of another village, but he had seen his hitai-ate, even if it had only been for a moment. Besides, the chances of a foreign shinobi being able to sneak into ANBU Headquarters without raising suspicion was improbable, no matter how skilled they were. He was a shinobi of Konoha, no doubt about it. It was a matter of homeland security, and if the issue became known publicly, there would be an uproar, and it would likely trigger a sudden attack they could not be prepared for.

If they tried to prepare for movement within their walls from the unknown betrayer, it would be known, and Itachi did not question this. The traitor had to be discovered at all costs, because protecting the village from one of their own was nearly impossible to do. Itachi wished for a moment that he had confronted the mystery man who had been standing guard, but he knew he had done the right thing in alerting the Hokage. He would not have done things a different way, if given a do-over.

"I'm afraid I have not discovered who the perpetrators are yet, Hokage-sama." He answered calmly. There was a reason she had chosen him for this task, though. Tsunade knew he would not stop his search until he sniffed out the rats masquerading as loyal shinobi. Not that she wanted to doubt one of her own, but it had not been the first time Itachi had to put a stop to a coup that would turn Konoha upside-down. She suspected that someone was after her leadership, after all.

Others might be bought into silence, but Itachi had disobeyed his own flesh and blood when the Uchiha clan had tried to overthrow the Sandaime Hokage, and had proved his fierce dedication. Against this new traitor, Itachi would not stop until he knew the village was safe, and Tsunade knew this. He had cared enough about Konoha to tell the previous Hokage just what the Uchiha had been planning, knowing the what possible outcomes could have been.

Tsunade sighed. "Well, work on it. I want another report on my desk in a week from today." She grumbled, dissatisfied with the situation her village was in. As its leader, she liked having complete control, and was not particularly pleased that she could not smooth things over as easily as when she had come to rebuild after Orochimaru's attack.

Itachi gave a short nod. "Yes, Hokage-sama. They will be found."

"I sure as hell hope so, Uchiha. This whole village is relying on that." She answered dryly, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. Itachi disappeared in a flash, nothing left of his presence indicating he had been there to begin with. He had work to do, and as much as he wanted to spend time with Sakura, it was _her _safety he was fighting for most of all.

* * *

_A soft whisper of wind in the dead of night rustled over her skin, cooling her in the strange, tropical heat. She stood quietly in the moonlight, its beams bleaching her bare body a ghostly white with the long expanse of soft, powdery sand beneath her feet. She did not recognize the beach, but that was hardly on the front of her mind. The sea, startlingly warm, lapped up to wet her calves as she stepped forward cautiously._

_Pausing thoughtfully, she gazed up at the clear, night sky, observing the twinkling stars with a strange sense of awe. As a shinobi, it was rare when she had the opportunity to just look at the stars, and within Konoha's walls, it was impossible to see them through the fog of population and city lighting. Here though, wherever she was, she could distinguish each and every one of them, even if they were so seemingly close to each other._

_She felt the body heat radiating towards her from behind before the other person touched her, or said a word. Moments previous, she had been utterly alone on the wide span of sand and sea, but suddenly, she had been joined by another. Based off their speed, it was safe to assume they were shinobi. Embarrassed, she thought to cover her nude form, but he hardly gave her the chance, before two, large hands rested on her hips familiarly, as if they had every right to be there, touching her so intimately._

_A blush dusted her cheeks, and her eyebrows scrunched together in fury, before the virile body, equally naked, pressed against hers. His touch, whoever he was, burned on her skin, and she was not sure if she liked it or not. Frustrated that some man thought he could take advantage of her, Sakura turned roughly, only to be released before she could turn completely, and she looked behind to see nothing at all, but a thick, dark forest. _

_His warmth appeared again, and before she could turn to give the man a piece of her mind, moist, smooth lips had latched onto the back of her neck, distracting her thoroughly. Her body seemed to react on its own, almost against her will as that hot mouth moved to her shoulder, her arms reaching behind her to wrap around his head, her fingers raking through his surprisingly long, silky hair. She should have been fighting him, urging him to stop, because she did not like where it was going._

_Rough hands, indicating his standing as a seasoned shinobi, scored over her sensitive skin so that she had to hold in her whimpers. Slowly, they inched downwards, and just as they ran over her navel, she could not help moaning, "Itachi!"_

_She did not get the chance to question why she had said his name, before he chuckled with amusement, and disappeared. Gulping dryly, not letting herself think about how much she had wanted him to continue, she turned around, facing the midnight ocean again. He was easy to spot, standing waist-deep in the water, with the moon's light shining directly behind him, and casting him completely in shadow. She could not distinguish a single feature, besides his extremely masculine figure, and helplessly, she tried squinting, to see if it was truly Itachi, as she had called him._

_A pair of crimson Sharingan, astonishingly tender, stared at her curiously, as if for the first time. That was the only part of him she could see clearly; there was the shadowed silhouette of the man, and then two glowing, red eyes. She could practically hear his smirk when he softly purred, "Sakura, come here."_

_Fighting and struggling through each step, trying to stay where she was, or better yet, go in the opposite direction, she made her way down the wet sand, before wading to him, and his open arms. Gently, he pulled her into deeper waters, where their bodies molded together seamlessly._

* * *

Sakura groaned, clenching her eyes closed even tighter, before turning her back to the window, and the only source of light in her small, apartment bedroom. She had slept marvelously, and she did not want wake up, after her date with Itachi and the searing kiss he had given her, Sakura could not have imagined she would be tormented throughout the night by dreams that had seemed so vivid in detail, she dared to wish they had been reality.

It had not been a particularly _dirty _dream, just an imaginary moment with a man she was starting to care too much for. The other dreams had made about as much sense as the last one had, flitting to one vibrantly colorful place to the next without any reason. He had always been there too, but never close enough for her to see his face. She had no doubt it had been Itachi though, even if he was always too far away to distinguish his features, or he had been turned in a different direction. He was the only one it could possibly be, and that thought alone should have terrified her. He was the only one she could imagine touching her so intimately, so it could only have been him.

Distressed by what it could possibly mean, Sakura flopped out of bed, rubbing her eyes to clear her mind. Arching her back, she popped her spine into place, before readying herself for the day. It had been awhile since she had last seen her mother, and so it was probably best she went to visit her back at home; she had been discharged two days previous, and was still adjusting to the grief, and being within her familiar environment again.

Once dressed for the day, she left the apartment, not taking ten steps from the building, before her ever-present body guards made themselves known. She gritted her teeth, not particularly wanting to deal with her protective teammates, but she knew there was no avoiding it. They had seen what had happened with Itachi. She really should not have let Itachi kiss her, just to get a reaction out of her teammates, knowing they both had a big brother complex, when it came to her. Was he trying to make her life as complicated as humanly possible? Sakura was convinced he had been.

With arms crossed, they appeared in front of her, obstructing her path. Hands at her sides, Sakura kept walking, stepping around them to continue on her way. She was not going to have a fight with them, not there, where the entire neighborhood could listen in to hear the newest gossip about her. They followed shortly after her, releasing a deadly, furious aura that was, plainly put, annoying.

Yes, all they wanted was to keep her from the _deadly _harm of a broken heart, but they were over the top. At least, she hoped it was her being hurt by Itachi that they were trying to prevent, and not her having a relationship with him. She would not put it past them, to try to keep her from Itachi altogether. She loved them both to shreds, but they seemed to be under the impression that she was too good for any man, and therefor, should end her days alone as a cat-lady.

Sakura hated cats. She had ever since Sasuke had stopped by Nekobaa's weapons shop during a mission, and she had gone with him. The entire place had smelled like cat litter. And one of the cats had scratched her because she had not brought them a treat. Trying to appease them by surrendering a bland protein bar had not helped her much either. She had hated cats since then. Being a cat-lady would kill her.

So, she led them away from her civilian neighborhood, taking them to a place where it was less likely for someone to hear their heated yelling and berating. They had claimed, over the years, a certain part of the training grounds as their own, having gone there every morning to brawl since they were genin. No one ever went there besides them, so there would not be anyone to overhear them. Hands on her hips, she finally stopped, turning on them with a glare that would promise punishment.

Whatever their excuses were, they had no right to spy on her and Itachi. It was _beyond _wrong.

Equally angry, her boys glared at her, frowning with disappointment, as if _she _was the one who had done something wrong. "Sakura, you can't be my brother's girlfriend," Sasuke stated at last, breaking through the tension with an infuriatingly calm tone, seemingly unaffected by the atmosphere. "He's..._his royal bitchiness, _remember? What were you thinking?"

Sakura's jaw tightened when Naruto added to his comment. "Yeah! Why did you let that bastard kiss you like that? You can't let him take advantage of you like that, Sakura-chan!"

She could not think of one thing to even say to Naruto, with how ridiculous he sounded. "Sasuke, you're such a hypocrite." Sakura snapped. "You can do whatever the hell you want, _you _can kiss me, and that's just fine and dandy, but your older brother; _no. _He's not allowed to even look at me without you throwing a fit. Who cares what I think, right?"

Naruto gasped, gaping at the pair of them. "Teme! How dare you kiss Sakura-chan!" He cried, much to their exasperation. "Sakura-chan is...well, Sakura-chan! It should be illegal to do that!"

She had to resist the temptation to crack his skull open at his reasoning. Of course he thought it should be illegal for someone to kiss her, but where did that leave her? Alone. And that was unacceptable.

"Shut up, Dobe. That was years ago, when we were still chunin," he growled, before answering her. "Besides, at the time, you had wanted to kiss me, too. Don't you dare pin the blame for that on me. I hardly see how this applies to now."

Sakura paced back and forth, taking a moment to regain control of herself. If she was not careful, she would end up exploding at both of them, and someone would get hurt badly. Sakura probably would not feel inclined to heal them either, considering how angry she felt at them. "Sure, I had wanted you to kiss me then, but what about now? What if I had wanted Itachi to kiss me? It's exactly the same, and it isn't fair that you two think I should never have a relationship with anyone. I should have the chance to figure out this whole romance thing on my own, without you two idiots trying to ruin it for me."

The look Naruto gave her was positively pathetic. "Sakura-chan, we just don't want _his royal bitchiness _to hurt you. Why would you even want a bastard like him to kiss you?"

Sakura opened her mouth to give him a rather colorful answer, when Sasuke interrupted. "Consider what it's like for me. The whole problem with our kiss was that it had felt like incest. Itachi is my older brother, and you're like my sister. It's disturbing to even think about you two together, but seeing you practically make-out with him is just disgusting."

Trembling with fury, chakra instinctively flowed into her hand, and before she could bash either of their heads in, she turned around, let out a scream of frustration, and punching her fist through the trunk of a tree. It groaned under the pressure of her clenched hand, snapping at its base, and top-heavy, it crashed to the ground with a heavy rumble. Chest heaving, fire in her emerald eyes, she glared back at them. They both gulped, easily intimidated.

"Listen to me, both of you." She started slowly, stepping closer to them to see their joint flinch. "I don't know where this is going with Itachi. It may never work out, but I want to be able to find that out for myself. You two are like the older brothers I never had, and I understand that you want to protect me, but you're preventing me from living my life. I actually like Itachi, and someday, I might love him. Please let me make sense of this, before you decide automatically that I shouldn't date him, or whatever."

There was a long pause, before Naruto answered, Sasuke looking much to shocked to say anything at all. "But Sakura-chan, he's a bastard. You told us that you would rather die than become his friend, remember? You said-

Her voice was calm, almost eerily soft. "Naruto, he saved my life. If he had not rushed me back to Konoha after that fight with Sasori, I really would be dead." She sighed with a smile, wrapping the arms around them both. "Besides, according to you, all men are bastards."

"Well, they are," he grumbled awkwardly, patting her back. She paused, giving him a dubious look.

"Even you?"

Sasuke smirked at this, clearly pleased with her thought.

"_Sakura-chan!"_

* * *

"Tadaima!" Sakura called softly, stepping into her parents' house, after a small scuffle with Naruto and Sasuke. She was glad to have been able to resolve things between her teammates, or at least form an understanding of sorts, and it had been nice to have a little training session afterwards, but she knew where she needed to be. Home, with her parents.

As always, her father was in the living room with his paper. "Okaerinasai, Sakura-chan," he answered quietly, putting down the newspaper expectantly. She did not hear the tinkling echo of her mother's greeting from the kitchen, and could not sense her in the bottom floor of the house at all.

Instantly, she was worried. "Where's Okaa-san?" Sakura asked carefully. She could see the shadows under his haunted eyes, and knew that her mother was not well off. Physically, she was mostly recovered from the miscarriage, but she was still emotionally healing from the loss.

Her father's sigh was weary, as if he had spent the dark, lonely nights up with her mother, trying to comfort his grieving wife, while also attempting to keep his own grief at bay, not wanting to distress her further. "She's upstairs, in the nursery," he whispered back, clearly distraught by the fact. Sakura nodded, giving her father a brief hug from where he sat, before taking the stairs two at a time.

Just as her father had said, her mother sat, curled up in the rocking chair Sakura easily recognized from her own childhood. How many times had she sat on her mother's lap there to listen to a story? How many times had she jumped onto it for a _'horsey-ride?' _How many times had her mother sat there, weeping over a lost child, while Sakura was too insensitive and preoccupied with her own problems to notice?

Cautiously, she stepped into the nursery, soundlessly approaching her mother. She turned from the open window, tears only just held in as she faced her. Sakura's voice caught in her throat, because she honestly did not know what she could possibly say. This had not been the first time her mother's body had aborted her child, and if she tried again, as much as it hurt to admit, Sakura knew the results would only be repeated. Her mother only wanted something as miraculous as an infant was, so delicate and fragile, but capable of such unconditional love.

Sakura could not believe she had allowed herself to spend time with Itachi, when she should have been comforting her mother. She was a selfish, ungrateful daughter, and even if her mother had given her blessing, Sakura knew she should not have abandoned her so easily. It all made sense, too, why her mother had wanted her to marry so desperately. While her mother genuinely wanted her to be happy, to settle down with a man who was capable of caring for her, she had an ulterior motive as well.

Her mother wanted her to give her grandchildren, because it was clear she was unable to bear another child. Sakura could not blame her mother for it, and wished she had not been so ignorant her entire life. She had assumed that because her parents had never faced death as she had, never killed to preserve their own lives, never bathed in blood to protect their home, never experienced the horrors of a shinobi lifestyle, that they automatically lived happily, and had no true pain. She did not know how she could be so naive, to think life was easy as a civilian, just because they never saw the terrible battles shinobi did.

It had been a juvenile, stupid thought, that civilians never had any problems at all, just because she was so self-centered that she only saw her own pains. Guilt washed over her, and she knelt down, taking her mother's chilled hands in her own. "I'm sorry, Okaa-san, for not coming sooner. I'm such a dumb daughter." She murmured.

Her mother made her attempt at giving a weak smile, trying to console Sakura. She would not have it though, because she was the one to blame. She was the one that had turned a blind eye to her mother, deciding to instead pursue a man in the hopes of finally forming a relationship her teammates could not destroy. "Sakura-chan, please don't beat yourself up. I'm a failure as a mother, for letting you see me like this."

Sakura shook her head. "Don't say that. I was too preoccupied with Itachi to think about anything else besides what I wanted. Please don't excuse me from that, because it wasn't right of me." She whispered back, rubbing her mother's cold hands in an attempt to warm them. "I'm not leaving until you tell me to." She added with a hopeful grin.

Her mother shook her head with disapproval. "Sakura, don't be ridiculous. I want you to spend time with Itachi-san. He's a good man, and I don't want you to blow your chance with him." She answered, frowning. Again, Sakura felt at blame, as if she could not truly do anything to please her mother completely.

Her mother needed someone there at her side, because as much as her father wanted to stay, he had his own duties to preform as provider in the household. Surely her mother did not want to be left to her own devices, lonely and moping in the nursery that would have become the baby's space in the small house. Still, her mother was pleased with the fact Itachi was courting her, and felt confident enough in how he fitted with her to make his intentions known. Sakura still did not know how this all made her feel, but as she had told her teammates, she wanted to see where things went.

Sakura sighed. "Okaa-san, I'm sure Itachi can wait a week or two. He'll understand that I need to spend time with you as well." She murmured. Besides, Sakura had a feeling that a small break would be a good idea, especially after the unusual dreams she had the night previous, him starring in each of them as her mysterious, elusive lover. Somehow, that label did not sound so horrible tacked onto his name, when it really should have. She was not nearly ready for him to become her lover, and if that was what her mind was going to focus on, she clearly needed some time to herself.

Her mother seemed to disagree, however. "Sakura-chan, I don't want you to ruin what you have with Itachi-san. I can handle this on my own, I promise. You don't need to be my nurse."

"Okaa-san, I couldn't possibly go out with Itachi, when all I can worry about is you. I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself at all." Sakura retorted. She could understand her mother's concern, but Itachi had made it very obvious. He was not interested in anyone besides her, and he would wait for her, if he had to. He had kissed her in front of Sasuke and Naruto, and if that was not any indication of how he felt, Sakura was not sure what was.

Itachi knew just as well how protective they were of her, and he had almost flaunted the intimate moment in front of them. She hated to jump to conclusions, but Sakura was sure that he had feelings strong enough for her to allow her privacy with her mother. Hell, the way he was acting, he could very easily grow concerned for her mother, just on the basis of _her_ being concerned. She did not know what to do with that, either. It was so unlike anything else she had ever experienced before, but she could not help liking the thought he worried over her family as much as she did. She wanted him to like her that much, she realized belatedly.

"Fine," her mother huffed, wiping her face clear. "Since you are so determined to spend time with me, I want you to tell me exactly how things started with Itachi-san, since he isn't here, standing over your shoulder this time." She stated, trying to smile. "Is there any sort of understanding between you two?"

While Sakura hardly wanted to divulge her mother in explaining the intricacies of her blossoming relationship with Itachi, she knew it would be a distraction. She did not want her mother thinking too much about the miscarriage, even if it was impossible to avoid, and so if her mother wished to talk about Itachi, Sakura supposed she could live with it. As long as it made her mom happy, or at least content in her saddened state.

So, she shrugged. "He told me his intentions only five minutes before he brought me to your hospital room. We haven't spoken too much about what's going to happen between us, and I don't think he wants to rush me. We've only had one date, and he's put off meeting with his parents for me." Sakura answered calmly. She was unable to keep the serene, happy smile from her face. When she thought about it, Itachi really had done so much for her. No other man would have so patient, or caring.

The grin on her mother's face was genuine. "Okay then, tell me what happened on your date. Was he a gentleman?"

"Okaa-san, I'm not even sure how to explain. He had to watch me pick at a plate of tonkatsu, which he ended up finishing for me, while I had to deal with fending off one of his fangirls." Sakura groaned, crossing her legs to sit more comfortably.

Her mother, however, laughed. "Why would you order tonkatsu? I thought you hated pork, especially after learning Tsunade-sama had a pet pig." She asked dubiously, stroking Sakura's hair when her daughter buried her face in her lap. Well, that made two people who thought she was amusing, because Itachi had thought it was just as funny.

"Oh, I don't know," Sakura muttered. "He was distracting me, and the waitress was looking at me like I was an idiot for not knowing what I wanted, so I sort of panicked. I ordered the special, not knowing what it was. Itachi thought it was hilarious, too, but apparently he was really hungry, because he finished most of it." She said, hiding her flushed cheeks in her mother's lap. "He seemed to like watching me bitch at the waitress too. What does that even mean?"

Her mother's expression seemed reminiscent, as if she understood the situation better than Sakura did. "It seems that Itachi-san likes you much more than he let on." She said gently.

"Well, he isn't afraid of Naruto or Sasuke." Sakura mumbled, lifting her head in embarrassment. "They were stupid enough to stalk us on our date, and had a fit this morning, the hypocrites. I had to deal with them alone though, and I have no idea what they're going to say to him about what happened. I mean, they shouldn't have been watching us either way, but I have a feeling there will be some sort of fight." She sighed, shifting uncomfortably at the thought.

Her mother frowned. "Sakura-chan, I understand wanting to have privacy with Itachi-san, but..." she seemed to hesitate, "were you doing something that should not be seen by public?"

Sakura growled at the thought, not catching her mother's hint. "They are just too worried about me, Okaa-san. I can take care of myself just fine, and Itachi could never hurt me. I mean, if I didn't want him to do something, he would stop."

"I know you're a full-grown adult, Sakura-chan, but I'm not sure I like this. Please tell me, at least, that you used some sort of protection. I know I said I wanted grandchildren, but I would rather you marry him first." Her mother said, her expression pained. Sakura gaped at her in shock, unable to believe her mother had jumped to conclusions so quickly.

"I haven't had sex with him!" She cried in indignation. "My teammates saw us kiss, not get it on!"

Her mother sagged with relief, holding her hand to her chest. "Thank god. I'm not ready to hear about your sex life yet." She sighed. "You're still my little girl, right?"

Sakura considered how ridiculous her mother sounded. She wanted grandchildren, but she did not want her to do what it took to get them? Sakura had a feeling it was due to the fact she had just lost her baby, and now, she wanted to hang onto what she had. She was pretty sure she could live with what her mother wanted, at least for the meantime. Eventually, though...

She wasn't going to think about that yet.

* * *

It was almost as if she had disappeared completely, in the days that followed. Itachi had been busy as well, looking for the traitors without taking any breaks, besides when he grabbed something to eat so he had more energy to search further. He would not have had time to spend with her anyway, but he wished he could have at least seen her face. She was not at the hospital, nor was she on a mission, and he could not imagine why she would want to spend more time with his brother and their blond friend than she already did, so it was safe to assume she was spending much of her time with her mourning mother and father.

It felt selfish to want her to be with him, when she was where she needed to be, but he still wished she was able to drop by to say hello. His brother had been sending him subtle glares since the night he had taken Sakura out for dinner, and he was certain that if the blond-knuckle-head was there, he would have thrown a temper tantrum.

His mother and father were starting to ask when she would be coming over, though and even if Itachi did not want to rush her, and wished only for her to be at ease when facing his parents, he also knew their patience would not last much longer. His mother seemed to comprehend that he was waiting for Sakura to warm up to the idea of introducing herself formally, while his father, on the other hand, was unconcerned with the fact she was not ready. The last thing Itachi wanted was for her to be scared off by the joint antics of his parents, so even he was hesitant to think about bringing her over for dinner.

While his mother was very accepting of Sakura, especially since she was the one to point her out to him, even if she had been no more than an annoyance at the time. At the same time, his mother was also anxious for him to produce an heir, probably more so than his father was. His father, meanwhile, did not completely approve of Sakura, even if she was a suitable match. She was high ranking, had some political experience, being the Godaime's apprentice, and was a talented medic-nin with a position of command within the hospital, but she was not an Uchiha. That, in his book, made her less appropriate, even if she was a better kunoichi than any in the clan. She did not have any shinobi background, and her parents were both civilians, and this would not be looked upon kindly by any of the Uchiha elders.

Still, he wanted to see her somehow. She had to go home at some point, he figured, so he decided to take a small break. He had spent three days researching with no pause, and if Sakura caught wind of this, she would rip him a new one, telling him that he was going to kill himself if he never got any rest. Smirking to himself at the thought, Itachi returned his materials to his desktop, deciding that she was going to need a break as well, if she was trying to nurse her mother. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he took the stairs, walking out of the compound casually.

She was not going to want to go anywhere, if she was resting, so on his way into the civilian neighborhood her apartment building was in, Itachi picked up take-out for two, knowing not to order anything with pork in it, considering what had happened on their date. Ignoring the stares of curious civilians, he trekked up to the second floor of her building, politely knocking on the door to her small flat after checking for her chakra signature. Thankfully, she was at home.

He waited about thirty seconds before the door slowly opened, a bewildered Sakura poking her head out of the crack to see just who it was. She grinned when seeing him in her threshold, and opened the door properly to let him inside, and he saw just why she had hid behind the door moments before. In a large tee that went to her thighs and boy-shorts, she was hardly dressed for company. Her hair was wet, and he safely assumed she had just gotten out of the shower, and was prepared, for the most part, to crash in bed. Instantly, he felt as if he were intruding, especially with how little she was wearing.

"Thanks for bringing something to eat," she grinned, leading him into the tiny, white kitchen. "I was going to force-feed myself some of the instant ramen Naruto had left here, but now you've saved me from that horrible fate."

He chuckled warmly, adding to her joke. "And what a horrible fate that would have been. You might have killed yourself, if I hadn't decided to stop by." Itachi said softly, setting the plastic bag down on her kitchen table as she grabbed two pairs of chopsticks. She laughed, the sound bubbly, and somehow reassuring. It was nice to hear her tinkling voice again, after what had felt like such a long span of time. He caught the pair of chopsticks she tossed him, following her in suit when she snapped them apart.

"Itadakimasu!" She called cheerfully as he murmured his own thanks, and opened the first box, happily digging into the chicken katsu. Rather pleased that he had made a good choice, Itachi opened the other box, calmly eating as well. It was somehow relaxing, to sit with her in such a peaceful location, simply together. There was no necessity to speak at all, even if she wished to share vaguely about her mother's improving state, and he gladly listened. It was as he had suspected, and Sakura really had been with her mother, assisting her through the difficult time. Not that he had thought she could be anywhere else.

After eating to her content, she put all of the leftovers into one box, before placing it in her rather empty refrigerator. He observed her quietly as she went about preparing them both some tea, perfectly content with just enjoying her presence. As she let the kettle boil on the stove, she turned to face him, a small, coy expression on her face. Her eyelashes fluttered as she met his apprehensive gaze, and with the table cleared, she sat on the top.

"I'm sorry I don't have anything for dessert. I know you have a sweet-tooth." She murmured, crossing her legs, much to his relief. He did not want to have the ability to see the adorable pair of boy-shorts she was wearing beneath the tee, or he would have been much too tempted to do something he should not.

An awkward silence stretched on after he apology, as if she knew what he had just been thinking. He knew she was looking at him from the corner of her eyes, but why, he did not have the answer to. He did not have to ask, however, because much to his surprise, she dropped herself into his lap without any reserve, pulling his long, tied back hair over his shoulder to free the long strands of inky, black hair. Slightly astonished by her unexpected, but not at all unpleasant, actions, he stared down at her.

Sakura did not dare look up into his questioning, dark eyes, almost afraid to know what they looked like at that moment. She was straddling him, for goodness sake, but for reasons she could not explain, she could not stop herself from stroking his beautiful, raven hair. "You Uchiha all have such silky, shiny hair. I'm somewhat jealous, you know." She said tenderly, combing her fingers through the dark locks. "I think all Uchiha should grow their hair out. You should try to convince Sasuke to let his get long, too."

His response was equally gentle, and seemed to rumble from deep in his chest. "I believe he would be afraid of longer hair taking a toll on his masculinity." Itachi hummed.

"Oh, right, because his duck-butt hairstyle is much better," Sakura snorted. "Men never seem to realize what a gift it is to have such nice hair. Mine used to be longer when I was a genin, but I can't understand how I could stand it. Such an ugly color, and it gets wavy when I let it grow out." She sighed, "Whatever the case, you are perfectly manly with long hair."

Itachi could not have disagreed with her more. Perhaps her hair color was unique, but he would never dare call it particularly ugly. He happened to like her hair very much, and thought it would look quite lovely if she allowed it to grow. He could just imagine how it would look, with thick, rose waves caressing her shoulders and back, rather than the short way she had it cropped to. While she was very cute with the short hair, Itachi pictured long hair framing her face nicely as well. He liked the image of her like that.

"Your hair isn't ugly, Sakura," he whispered, "I think you should let it get longer again."

She made a face, shaking her head. "No way, Itachi," she said, tugging his hair this way and that, and he realized she was braiding it. "It would only get in the way, and I don't have the time to be caring for my hair so it's as pretty as yours."

Slightly amused that she was braiding his hair, something no woman, or any person for that matter, had ever done before, Itachi smirked. "It only gets in the way if you let it."

Sakura rolled her eyes affectionately. "Whatever you say, Itachi. Not everyone's as perfect as you are." She mumbled, tying his braid at the end, before reaching up to give him open-mouthed kisses. He reciprocated wholeheartedly, throwing the braid back over his shoulder, before snaking his arms around her slender body to pull her closer.

She gave a soft sigh, pressing her palms into his chest, clearly pleased with how he massaged his lips against hers. The only thing that could have possibly ripped them apart was the harsh, high-pitched whistle of the kettle, which had been rather jarring, considering how close it had been to them, and how sensitive their hearing was.

All the while, Itachi could not help thinking how wrong she could be, because there was nothing more imperfect than he was.

* * *

She had been easier to pull out of the house after that night he had brought dinner over, since she came home at a reasonable time, and his mother was nagging him about spending so much time preoccupied with ANBU business, as if it followed him around like a curse. Part of Itachi agreed with her, but he knew it was impossible to leave the ANBU operatives so late in the game, when he had spent a complete decade in the shadowed, mysterious organization. Few stayed in that long, it meant only one thing. At some point, he was going to get a position higher than captain, and his father wanted him to do just that. I would look good for the Uchiha clan, if he one day headed the ANBU.

While Itachi hardly knew how he felt about this, he had accepted it long ago, knowing he had no choice.

He digressed. Sakura was not in the apartment, and frustrated that he had gotten nowhere with his investigation, he had stormed from the house, simply needing out. He had not had a good spar in over a week, and had hardly stepped into the sun for two. He still had three days to figure out something. So, slouched with his hands stuffed in his pockets, he had walked down Konoha's main street, looking for either someone to give him a nice fight, or...well, he supposed he should consider her his girlfriend. Though, that sounded rather strange, attached to Sakura's name. She felt, at some times, like something much more than that. He did not care to ponder just what that made her.

It had not been to difficult to find her, since she was with her teammates, and making quite a ruckus. Thoroughly entertained by the thought she might have made a mess of either Uzumaki Naruto, or his equally foolish brother, he had stepped from the street and into Ichiraku to join them. She had a half-eaten bowl of miso ramen sitting in front of her, adding to his mirth; Itachi saw his opportunity to both pester her teammates, and continue their ongoing ramen joke.

"Sakura, it looks as if I came just in time. I had no idea you were being tortured again, or I would have come sooner," he breathed down her neck, expecting her to practically rip her head clean off with how quickly she had turned towards him. A small blush colored her cheeks, and even better than that, his brother and Naruto cringed at his presence alone.

She grinned, though. "I guess you really are my hero, huh?" Sakura giggled back at him, returning his chaste, hello-kiss. "Between the ramen and these three imbeciles, I probably would have died again."

Itachi glanced up, greeted by the glares of her two teammates, only to see a third, sitting at the end of the bar, engrossed in his own bowl of ramen. He stood upright, having not seen the fourth member of their team. She seemed to sense his displeasure.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she muttered. "Tsunade-shishou assigned us a mission for a four-man team though, so we needed to get another person to join Team Seven. We have to leave in an hour."

The temporary teammate in question then looked up, an eerily wide grin on his face as he turned towards them. Instantly, Itachi recognized those dark eyes, and he gritted his teeth with a combination of anger and disbelief. It was the shinobi he had seen in Sub-level Four, guarding the Akatsuki cell.

"Wow, Ugly, I had no idea you had a boyfriend. How did you manage that?" He asked cheerfully. It took all of Itachi's restraint to not leap forward to strangle the shinobi.

* * *

AN: Hmm. Well, this chapter turned out much longer than I originally intended, but I'm guessing you guys won't mind too much. :) It had been hard to get back into the groove, after being inspired by _Upside Down and All Around, _so that was why I took so long to update again. I'll try to keep a tighter leash on my stubborn, demanding muse.

As always, thank you for your feedback. Reviews are like food for starving artists...so FEED ME. :D


	16. Beta Blockers

Disclaimer: I really do wish I could say I owned Naruto, but...I don't.

* * *

Hollow nights to empty days, something had to change,

Before it gets too late and there's no turning back.

* * *

Itachi grit his teeth and tried to remain calm. He was certain that this man, the one he had seen in Sub-level Four, did not recognize him, since he had been wearing his ANBU mask at the time. As far as the traitor was concerned, he was just Sakura's significant other, and Sasuke's older brother. Nothing more than that. He could not stay long, so he casually teased Sakura and her teammates, before wishing them well on their mission, and kissing Sakura good-bye. The traitor probably did not suspect him at all, and Itachi was going to use that to his advantage.

Swiftly leaving Ichiraku, he dashed towards the Hokage tower, not wanting his opportunity to slip through his fingers. She was not alone in her office, but Itachi did not have the patience to wait until Tsunade's meeting was over, and stepped into the room uninvited. Getting onto one knee, he bowed his head in respect, and getting straight to the point. "Hokage-sama, _a leaf is falling from the tree." _He uttered in code.

Shikamaru, who was standing at Tsunade's desk, stared at him blankly, before looking back at Tsunade. Based off her horrified expression, it was easy to guess that whatever the Uchiha heir had just said meant the situation was serious. The hokage confirmed his thoughts when she shortly ordered, "Get out, Nara."

Knowing it was not anything personal, and that she would want him back later to finish her growing pile of paperwork, Shikamaru left, deciding that even if it was not his usual place, the roof to the Hokage tower would be a wonderful location to watch clouds from. With a roll of his eyes, and muttering, _"How troublesome," _to himself, he closed the door as he exited, sensing the sound barrier go up the second he was out of the room.

Though taken into account, Shikamaru's disrespectful exit was ignored, as Tsunade found Itachi's statement a much more pressing matter. Having reached the conclusion that it was safe to speak freely, Itachi opened his mouth. "I require permission to leave the village within the next hour," he declared simply, standing upright again.

"What for? Was that the emergency you had me shoo Nara off to tell me about?" She growled back at him in annoyance. Clearly, he was not in the best of mood either, though, because even if his expression was carefully blank, she could see the slight tension in his shoulders from where she sat. "You do realize, Uchiha, that Nara was about to help me get through last month's pay roll, correct?" Tsunade asked sarcastically.

Itachi did not so much as bat an eye. "I have a lead to the traitors and their motive, but unfortunately, my suspect is about to leave on a mission. I intend to shadow him on said mission." He answered calmly, not bothered by her frown.

"Do you know the suspect's name now, at least? What evidence do you have on him?"

Itachi was unruffled by her question. "I do not know his identity, but he is, without a doubt, the shinobi I saw approximately ten minutes before the Akatsuki invasion, in ANBU Headquarters Sub-level Four. Besides facial recognition, I have no proof that he is one of the traitors."

It was clear Tsunade was displeased with his answer. "Very well, Uchiha. What team is he on, then?"

He seemed to pause at this. "He was spotted at Ichiraku Ramen with Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke and...Haruno Sakura-" Itachi looked rather pained by this thought, and Tsunade was not sure what to think of it; "-eating before the mission you assigned Team Seven for this afternoon. He is average height, has black hair and eyes, and unusually pale skin."

Her expression was positively livid. "That bastard. I can't believe he would go this far." She snarled under her breath. At his confused face, she elaborated, "That shinobi you saw was part of Root, which, as you know, is under Danzo's jurisdiction. Everything and anything he does, is at Danzo's orders. If that bastard told him to stop _breathing, _he would. I can't believe _he's _behind this."

All so suddenly, it struck him, and he was disturbed. Danzo, the sick, twisted man that had wanted him to murder his own clan, had taken leaps and bound to get what he wanted-control of the village-even went so far as to make himself a hypocrite by planning to stage his own coup. This ludicrousness of it all made him twitch with anger. Now, that man had his follower on Sakura's team, and Itachi knew all too well how Danzo ran things. If she got in the way of his goals, she would be killed, as simple as that. He had to protect her from that, as well as his brother, and as much as he irritated him, Uzumaki Naruto too.

"Why was he placed onto Team Seven for this mission?" Itachi inquired coldly.

Angered by his judgement of her decision, she snapped back at him. "I had no choice! Kakashi was already on a solo mission to Kumo, and not too many are compatible with their fighting styles. I reviewed the best options, and he, _Sai, _was the one who fit most. Danzo's been trying to integrate Root with our operatives for years, and that was the only reason I had that prick's file on my desk. Otherwise, I probably would have sent you with them." She growled at the apathetic look he gave him. "Look, Uchiha! Don't you criticize _me! _Danzo has been pushing me to send one of his men on a mission with the regulars, and until two minutes ago, I had no idea that he could have had a motive behind it besides trying to get on my nerves!"

Unsurprisingly, he went right back to what he wanted. "Am I permitted to leave Konoha to observe _Sai?" _

With the strange, mixed expression of concern, frustration and hatred, Tsunade could not refuse him. With a nod of her head, she waved him off, and he disappeared instantly, undoubtedly to prepare in a haste to follow Team Seven. If it was one of Danzo's Root, then he was probably going to cover up their tracks as they traveled.

* * *

She was _trying._ She really was. Sakura usually was not the sort of person to hate anyone, if she could help it, and she was really good when it came to welcoming new people. She had wanted to make sure Sai never felt left out, even if she only realized later that he preferred to stay alone, to doodle in his sketchbook. He was testing her patience, though, deciding to push her buttons in response to her kindness.

Sakura had hoped it would be a rather peaceful journey into Amegakure. Naruto and Sasuke both hated him with a passion, and she wanted to be the bigger person. To offer the olive branch to the unwanted, impromptu teammate Tsunade had forced upon Team Seven for their current mission. Unfortunately, despite her best efforts, he wanted nothing to have to do with them, and after a day of trying to get on his good side, trying to warm him up to their team, Sakura concluded it was probably for the best.

Tsunade was going to get an earful for this mess, of that Sakura would be sure.

It was standard, when dealing with capturing missing-nin, for a team of four shinobi to split up into two groups, making it faster work to find the target. Team Seven had been assigned to find Hideki Osamu, a Konoha chunin that had somehow been seduced by the prospect of living outside the village, and being his own leader. Both of his parents had died when he was young, and he had resented the Hokage for it. He was practically a child, though, fourteen, and still only just learning the ways of the world. It was naive of him to believe the life of a missing-nin would be ideal, but Sakura could not particularly blame him for his ignorance.

They would bring Osamu back to Konoha for judgement, and chances were, he would spend a few months with his chakra sealed, before he realized his own mistake, and was able to be put back onto the mission roster. Whatever the case, it was decided (by Naruto and Sasuke) that it would be most efficient if they paired off and went their separate ways to Ame, the last place Osamu was said to be seen in. Sakura knew well enough that this was only suggested by her obtuse teammates because they were tired of Sai. Naturally, they had no qualms about _her _having to deal with the annoying, pale-faced shinobi and his creepy smile.

He would not have been so bad to work with, if he did not find the need to make unnecessary comments about each of their sexual lives. She had lost count of how many times in those first two days Sai had implied that Naruto and Sasuke were an _item. _ As amusing as it had been at first, to see her teammates squirm with discomfort, it got to a certain point where it was too much. Then, he had brought _her _and_ Itachi _into his snide remarks, and no one on Team Seven had appreciated it.

He had reached the point of no return when asking, _'Does Itachi-san have a small dick like Emo, or have you not seen it yet because he wouldn't ever want to fuck a girl with such tiny boobs?' _Sasuke, otherwise dubbed as _Emo, _growled at the insult blown to himself, while trying to hold in the disgust at the unwanted image of his brother and kunoichi teammate embracing on a rumpled mass of pillows and sheets. Sakura, however, had exploded at his perverse question, making a sad attempt to defend Itachi, whom she had never really seen naked, and therefor could not truly know if what Sai implied was correct or not. As for the jab thrown at herself, she had simply crossed her arms over her chest, not liking that he had been looking at her breasts.

Sakura, predictably enough, had been stuck traveling with Sai, while her two friends escaped to take another route. He kept addressing as _'Ugly,' _and still continued making his comments on her apparently lacking sexual life with...her _boyfriend, _but it could have been worse. Maybe. At least he was keeping more to himself, and was not against taking the longer watches at night as she slept. It was slightly unsettling that he could very easily be watching _her _as she slept, but it was worth it.

He was odd, and something of a pig as far as men went, but they managed to make a routine for themselves. The traveling route they had chosen to Amegakure was long, but it covered more ground, and would give them plenty of opportunity to catch Osamu's trail. They were not moving at a fast pace either, not wanting to miss the target's trail, if they did happen upon it. He would take the lead, while she watched their backs, and each night, he would create a perimeter for their camp while she built a fire. They found it easiest for themselves if they did not speak at all, and he seemed to be fine with this conclusion.

Three days of this, and Sakura was beginning to sorely miss Itachi. She had never imagined that she would long for his company while on missions, that she would miss his sarcasm, and obscure, often confusing sense of humor, that she would want him to be there to tease her. It was such a strange sensation. This was the first time they had been apart for so long, a complete five days as of yet, since their relationship's start. She could not bear to think she was one of _those _girls; the kind that easily became attached to a man, even if it went against all logic.

Finally, however, she sensed Osamu's chakra signature. It could not have been over a day old, and was within a mile of where she and Sai were searching. She grinned victoriously, executing a simple jutsu to alert her two teammates that they had found the target first, before turning to Sai to tell him as well. He must have sensed the chakra as well, because he was wearing another wide, alarming smile. Pleased that she would be able to tease Naruto and Sasuke about getting to beat the foolish chunin down while they were miles away, she saw no reason to suspect a thing.

Sai was a strange individual to be sure, but never in her wildest dreams could she have ever predicted he turn on her. Sakura hardly had a moment for her mind to register just what it meant, that her ally was attacking her _now, _when they had been traveling in relative peace for three days, before everything around her went black, and she could not feel a thing at all.

* * *

Itachi felt his chest tighten with horror as he saw the Root operative gag and bind an unconscious Sakura against a tree, using ink snakes as rope. He had no doubt they would serve to drain her chakra as well. Itachi did not want to know what this _Sai _character intended to do with Sakura later, because it was clear he meant to come back. If he had not intended to return, he would have tried to kill her.

He had wanted to stop Sai from attacking her, but his instincts told him to wait. This was the chance he had to prove Root guilty for conspiring against the Hokage, and even if he longed to tear Sakura free with his bare hands, he needed proof of Root making contact with Akatsuki. He had done his research on Akatsuki as well, trying to learn as much as he possibly could on the dastardly organization, and even if it was mostly speculation, and there was no real evidence, it was believed that their headquarters was in Ame. It was no coincidence that Team Seven had been dispatched to that general area with him joining them.

Root, or rather, _Danzo, _was trying to correspond with Akatsuki. He had to see it for himself though, or otherwise there would be no true evidence.

So, he waited for a minute, until Sai was out of the area, before jumping down from the tree he had been observing the scene in, and using a kunai to slice through the ink-snakes. Sakura fell forward bonelessly, and he caught her easily, frowning to himself from behind his ANBU mask. He set her down against the tree trunk gently, placing a genjutsu barrier over her limp form so that no one else would be able to detect her presence. Itachi would tend to her later, once he had Sai in custody.

With one, fleeting glance back at her, Itachi made chase. The scene seemed to blow past him, the greenery blurring together indistinctly as he hurried to catch up with the Root operative. He could not let anything else matter at that second. It was such a strange thing, being worried about someone besides himself, or his family. He had never felt concerned for his fellow ANBU, but perhaps that was because he had been the one to test most of them, and knew they were capable.

He knew Sakura could handle whatever was thrown at her at this point, but something inside him, something instinctive, was telling him it was his duty to protect her, no matter how powerful a kunoichi she was. It was this feeling, throbbing in his chest, that was screaming at him to turn back, when he _knew _it was his responsibility to discover Danzo's plot, to keep Konohagakure secure. Itachi managed to ignore it though, pushing himself forward, and away from her.

His chakra signature still masked, he crouched down, eyes narrowing at what he saw. As he had suspected, Sai had been sent out by Danzo to communicate with Akatsuki, because by the looks of it, Hoshigaki Kisame had been expecting him. Neither shinobi were showing any signs of discomfort, or even the slightest edge of wariness, meaning this was far from being the first time they specifically had contacted each other. Itachi did not like the implications of that.

Sharingan flaring red, he activated a jutsu that often made him useful in surveillance situations. It would, plainly put, record the entire incident, so he could later project it for the Hokage as evidence.

"_Hey, kid, try to come on time once and a while, okay? I've been waiting for you for a day at least, and Leader-sama said I couldn't come back until we rendezvous to discuss the plan. He's probably already pissy that I'm not back yet." _Hoshigaki grumbled. This seemed to prove his theory correct, that Kisame was familiar with this Root operative.

Sai grinned back. _"I had a pink-haired bitch to deal with first."_

"_Oh, her." _Hoshigaki Kisame seemed to nod his head wisely. _"I hope you hid the body well this time, because Hidan found the last one. You don't want Konoha to find her, especially considering how protective her boyfriend is. That Uchiha seemed pretty intense, if you ask me, when we fought."_

Itachi clenched his teeth, reminded of the fight he had with Kisame during the invasion. He had been fatally injured, something that did not happen too often, but Hoshigaki did not get away unscathed, either. They had probably been equally injured, and were clearly at the same level. It was rare when he found anyone that was a worthy challenge, not that he had particularly enjoyed their fight.

"_She won't be a problem. The last one had been expendable, but Danzo-sama knows she is a valuable kunoichi and medic-nin. I will erase her memories before returning to Konoha." _He replied with a wide, disorienting smile. Kisame shook his head, obviously disturbed by the grin.

"_Whatever you say, kid. I just want to know what Danzo wants this time. Leader-sama still wants a raise, after what had happened with Kabuto and Deidara."_

"_Konoha will pay in full, once Danzo-sama has become Hokage."_

Disgusted with each word, Itachi glared down at the traitor and Akatsuki member, angered when listening to the plot Danzo had. He always had wanted to become Hokage, but no one would follow him willingly, especially if he used dirty tactics to rid Tsunade from the office he deemed his. If this was revealed, Danzo's name, as well as Root's, would be forever soiled.

The thought of this gave him a sort of sick pleasure, after what he had almost done at Danzo's suggestion ten years previous. Itachi cared for his village more than his own life, and had been willing to sacrifice everything for its sake, but that did not mean he had wanted to even consider that the massacre of his clan would solve anything. Thankfully it had been prevented, or for all he knew, he could have been a member of the dreaded Akatsuki as well. As a high-ranked missing-nin, he certainly would have been sought out by them.

Then, it struck him, what Danzo intended to do. Most shinobi would remain loyal to the true Hokage, but he had Root. Their numbers were unknown, and no one knew just how powerful they were, but it made sense at that moment, that he had created an underground organization of emotionless shinobi to do his bidding. They would replace the shinobi who decided Tsunade should be the rightful Hokage. Those considered too valuable would be kept under lock and key, regardless of what they felt towards their situation, and that included Sakura. Others considered too dangerous would be disposed of.

This had to be stopped, before it started, just like with the coup his clan had once intended to stage. Capturing every second of the meeting between Akatsuki and Root, Itachi observed as they parted, Hoshigaki returning to Amegakure, while Sai made his way to return to Konoha. Silently, he slipped into the shadows, waiting patiently as Sai calmly walked away from the clearing he had met Kisame in. Once he was certain Kisame was too far away to sense them, he moved. Sai may have suspected someone watching them or not, but he had not been prepared for the speedy attack of a seasoned ANBU captain.

With an unconscious, bound Sai thrown over his shoulder, Itachi was quick to return to where he left Sakura. Much to his displeasure, Naruto and Sasuke were steadily approaching as well, and there would be no avoiding a confrontation with her two, overprotective teammates. They would throw a fit, both at seeing him there with their temporary team member hanging limply over his shoulder, but at Sakura's condition. He really had wanted to avoid conflict with his brother and their blond friend, but it felt suddenly inevitable.

Itachi crouched over next to her unconscious form, releasing the genjutsu he had placed over her just in time for Sasuke and Naruto to join them. Even with his mask over his face they were able to recognize him easily; he could tell by the subtle sounds of their grinding teeth. Ignoring them, he softly placed a hand over her forehead, his chakra flowing into her system to wake her. Slowly, she began to stir.

A certain relief he was unfamiliar with washed over him at seeing her emerald eyes flutter open. She glanced up at his mask, identifying him instantly, before she glanced behind him to her frustrated-looking teammates. "Itachi," she murmured roughly, "what are you doing here?"

He did not answer her at first, his eyes sliding shut with distress. What he had learned had to remain strictly classified, and he could not tell her. If Tsunade deemed her worthy of knowing the truth, that was one thing, but Itachi could not tell her without knowing he was breaking ANBU code. This mission he had been given required the upmost secrecy, and no one could know but the Hokage and himself. How could he tell her this?

Silently, he stood, lifting his hand away from her forehead. "That information is confidential," Itachi replied smoothly, offering his hand to help her to her feet. While she appeared slightly discouraged by this, he knew she understood that there would always be some things he could not share with her, even if she did become ANBU.

She gazed at Sai with slight apprehension, before frowning. "What's going to happen to him?" Sakura asked him, taking his hand and getting up dizzily.

"That will be determined by Hokage-sama." He answered her, before turning to her two teammates. While clearly upset, they had managed to remain silent through their short exchange, and for that he was thankful. "I will take Sakura with me to Konoha, Otouto, Naruto-kun. You complete your mission to capture missing-nin Hideki Osamu." He ordered in a tone that left no room for questions.

He should have predicted that Sakura would not appreciate his interference in her mission.

"Itachi, I'm part of Team Seven too, and we finish our missions together." She stated stubbornly. "I'm fine, so I can continue with Sasuke and Naruto to find Osamu. I'll return to Konoha with them."

Sasuke gulped as the tension rose. He knew how his brother was on missions, and that he was not the sort to allow insubordinate behavior. Sakura was hotheaded and did what she believed right, not too different from how Naruto could act at times. How they could possibly handle being around each other was beyond him.

Itachi stared at her with no small amount of annoyance. "I am your superior. You will return to Konoha with me."

She glared at him openly. "I can handle finding a freaking _chunin, _Itachi. I might not be the all-powerful ANBU captain here, but I'm still a kunoichi. As a medic-nin, it is necessary for me to stay with my team."

He was only trying to keep her safe. How could she not see that? Whatever the case, Itachi was not the sort to take no as an answer. He would let her argue and disagree with his decisions all she wanted back home, but out on the field, and as her senior, Itachi would not allow it. It was best she learned that early on, too. "Sakura, you are coming with me. That is final."

* * *

She was pissed. She was _beyond _pissed. What right did he have to step in and assume control of the situation, when he was not at all a part of her mission? In fact, what was he doing anywhere _near _her team while they were on a mission? He obviously had no faith in her, if he felt it necessary to stalk her on her missions. Sakura was not a baby, and could take care of herself, _thank-you-very-much. _If she was a pathetic genin who needed a sensei, then fine, but she was a full-fledged jonin kunoichi.

It hurt to think he thought so little of her, that he thought her so incompetent that she needed a big, strong ANBU captain to look over her shoulders. Everything had been going so nicely, but perhaps that had just been her imagination. She had wanted everything to work out, so she had seen what she wanted to see. Obviously, if he thought her so weak that she needed protection on a simple, B-ranked mission.

Of course, she should have been grateful, since Sai had suddenly decided to attack her, and Itachi had wrapped that up nicely for her, but if there was one thing she hated, it was to be belittled. She had been a horrible kunoichi as a genin, and finally she had managed to crawl out of that by training under Tsunade and eventually gaining the status of jonin. He must not have thought much of this, though. She should have known from the beginning, that he would always think himself better than anyone else.

He was an Uchiha, and if anything, they were known for being insufferably proud. Uchiha saw themselves as being so above other shinobi that they were unworthy of notice. They were inept, and not good enough to be trusted with their own lives. Apparently, she was included in the group of inferior shinobi in his eyes, if his actions meant anything at all.

Somewhat dejected, Sakura followed him in silence, refusing to say a thing to him. There was not much she could say to him either way, and he did not appear to be bothered by the quietude between them. Conversation would be pointless, the way she saw it, and all she wanted was to get home, so she could get away from _him. _At the rate they were traveling, they would be within Konoha's border in a matter of hours.

Itachi eventually seemed to sense her animosity however, and must have felt guilty, or something to that effect, because he decided only then to speak with her.

"Sakura," he muttered, "you are angry with me."

It had not been a question, but a statement. He _knew _she was displeased. That alone was annoying, and she shot up ahead, past him and closer to home. With seemingly no exertion at all, he caught up, matching her speed easily, despite the load on his shoulders.

She growled under her breath. "Great job, Uchiha, your observational skills are astounding." Sakura snapped back sarcastically. If he was bothered by her retort, Itachi did not show it.

"Why?" He asked simply.

She glared at him from the corner of her eyes, her lips pursing together in frustration. "I'm not _five, _Itachi. I'm capable of taking care of myself just fine, so there's no need for you to baby me like this. If you think that I need some sort of guardian angel, then you're wrong." Sakura answered him bluntly, gaining speed again.

There was a long pause as he selected the words appropriate to defend himself against her accusation. Finally, he sighed. "My reasons for shadowing Team Seven on this mission were not strictly for your protection, though I suppose it was necessary later on. Though I cannot tell you anything specific, I do not think you are weak, and that wasn't my purpose in following you."

Sakura was not placated. "Really then, why is Sai unconscious on your back? Sure, he's a bastard for knocking me out, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't need interrogation from ANBU for that. Were you just upset that I'm not the perfect girl that you wanted? I'm not-

He was quick to interrupt. "Sakura, did you never wonder why Sai deemed it necessary to render you unconscious?" Itachi asked calmly, gaging her reaction. She gave him another glare. "I was upset that he knocked you out, and that's completely natural. That is not the reason I am bringing him back to Konoha for interrogation, however, and I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore than that."

She did not have a response for him.

* * *

The silence fell over them again, and neither spoke a word until reaching Konoha. Izumo and Kotetsu looked slightly stunned by the sight of them walking back into the village, one of their own slew over Itachi's shoulder, while Sakura looked irritated. He no longer wore his mask, instead placing it over Sai's face so he remained anonymous. Naturally, they followed rumors pretty closely, and knew about their supposed relationship.

All suspicions that it could not be possible for them to be together cleared from minds when the Uchiha heir pressed his lips to the crown of her head, before whispering something into her ear, and approaching the check point. She stood, fixed to the ground, looking slightly shocked as well. He signed in with the same air of indifference as ever, before nodding to them both, and disappearing with Sai. Their attention instantly turned to the flustered, slightly enraged kunoichi.

She did not say anything to them at first, stepping forwards to sign herself in. After a few seconds of complete quiet, however, she could no longer handle their unabashed, bewildered stares, and had to say _something. _"Can you _please _not give me that look?"

They shared an amused glance. She knew, already, that they were going to tease her.

"What look?" Izumo asked innocently. "I'm not aware of giving you any look."

She rolled her eyes, predictably enough. "Oh, please. Don't play coy with me." Sakura retorted, unable to keep the smile off her face, despite herself. "We have problems enough as it is, and I really don't need you two starting some sort of rumor that we're getting a divorce because of an argument." She teased playfully.

Kotetsu gasped. "So you're married already?" He feigned seriousness. "That was a pretty short honey moon, though I suppose you two need some time to settle down for when the little sprog comes, right? I guess rumors can be true, after all. The poor man; he becomes a father, marries and gets divorced within the span of three weeks."

Sakura flushed bright red. "I'm not pregnant, I'm not married to Itachi, and therefor, we can't be getting a divorce either!"

Izumo huffed, a grin only just barely held in, before Kotetsu split his sides with laughter. "You're too easy to tease, Sakura-chan. I can't believe you took me seriously!"

She growled to herself. "Whatever. If I hear any insane rumors from Ino that claim some new insanity that we eloped only to break apart shortly after, I will personally beat the both of you to a bloody pulp." Sakura snapped, her chest heaving with distress. "Just because we are having a little disagreement does _not _mean the rest of the village needs to know too."

With that, she turned, making a beeline for the Yamanaka flower shop. She was in some serious need for some girl-time, after the infuriating day with Itachi. Unfortunately, it did not seem possible, because Ino's mother, an even more infamous gossip than her daughter, stood in the quaint shop, almost expectantly. The elegant, lithe, platinum blond woman grinned in a way reminiscent of Ino, and instantly, Sakura knew she could not simply turn around and pretend she had never seen her.

With a heavy sigh, she treaded up to the front counter, politely asking where Ino was.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. Ino had a mission with Shikamaru-kun and Choji-kun. I don't know when they will be back, but it might be a few days." She answered her question gently, continuing to say, "But if you're worried about something, I'm always here to listen."

Sakura's eyebrows knit together in annoyance. She should have known. This was how Ino's mother often learned information to spread her rumors; unlike Ino, she was startlingly kind and subtly sweet, a contradiction to her friend's demanding stubbornness. That was how she drew people in, acting as a shoulder to cry on, all the while meaning only to get her precious rumors started. Sakura would not stand for it.

"Thank you, Yamanaka-san," she replied with a fake smile. "I'll see Ino when she gets back, then."

With that, she turned, and bolted for the door. Once outside the flower shop, however, she could not help but to feel somehow lonely. She needed to go to Tsunade, to give her mission report, but the rest of her team had not returned yet, and their assignment was not yet completed. Sakura was in no mood to return home, or to visit her parents, as she often did in returning to Konoha, because somehow, it would all be about Itachi. She just wanted ten minutes of peace, because Sakura was still upset with him. He had secrets to keep as an ANBU captain, and she could understand this, but she wanted him to trust her abilities, if but a little. He was right, of course, that it was a good thing he had been there, but she still felt like the denied child, still wanting to prove herself.

She really was not the sort to go drinking, especially alone, but Sakura was at the end of her rope. Besides, _The Red Fist _served alcohol all through the night, and did not close until early morning. The bar in question had become her and Ino's stomping grounds as soon as they had turned eighteen, and could legally drink. It would feel strange to enter the establishment without her blond friend, but she could use an hour or two of intoxication.

It was five in the afternoon, a completely reasonable time to start drinking, if you asked her, so she made her way to what had become a notorious bar for its fights. It had opened not long after Tsunade's inauguration, and had been named after the Hokage's deadly punches, and how she was much more likely to throw her fists after having consumed more sake than recommended. The council had not been pleased when it had first opened, but could hardly do anything about it, when it slowly became one of the most popular bars in Konoha.

It was having a slow business day by the looks of it, so Sakura marched inside the poorly lit establishment, before taking a seat at the bar. She had been perfectly content in spending the evening alone, her only companion being a bottle of good sake, but when joined by an old friend, she could not ignore him. Even if they were both at the same level, she still could not help teasing him slightly.

"I haven't seen you in forever, _Kakashi-sensei,"_ she snickered, downing another serving of sake. "I'm guessing you've been doing plenty of solo missions again."

Predictably enough, he gave her a small huff in response. "I'm not your sensei anymore, Sakura. You've been one of my equals for years now, so stop calling me that." He said, addressing the more serious matter first, "And yes, I have been going on more solo missions lately."

Sakura laughed happily, glad to have gone drinking after all. It was rare when she got one-on-one time with her old sensei, especially since whenever she saw him, it was always with Naruto and Sasuke. They would always be too busy trying to show off how much stronger they had gotten, and she would have no time to scarcely speak two words before Kakashi would run off again.

"Hmm," she answered thoughtfully. "Naruto and Sasuke will probably want to go on another '_Team-Seven-reunion-mission' _at some point. So, you have that to look forward to."

He did not dignify her comment with a response. Sakura may have been his favorite student (since she was the only one that was capable of holding a conversation without excitedly ripping out some new, elaborate jutsu each time she saw him), but Kakashi knew she had become too much like Tsunade. Sometimes, it was best to let things slide, instead of saying something that would earn a justified beating from a hotheaded, pink-haired kunoichi.

* * *

AN: Yay! I updated again. It has been a pretty hectic week. I had an interview for a job at whole foods, started a college course, and had to fend off this weird, nerdy guy from hitting on me. No offense to weird, nerdy guys all over the world.

Thank you, as always, for the reviews! They are like food for starving artists, so FEED ME. Lol. :)


	17. Heartfelt Somethings

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Are you hanging by a thread, or swinging from the rope?

Don't think we don't see your scars; are you afraid of who you are?

* * *

It was after a good hour of complaining about how bothersome men could be that Sakura, having consumed more alcohol than she ought to have, fell asleep with her face pressed into the bar's counter. Kakashi had sighed, shaking his head at his young student. She had certainly grown into quite a woman, and he was glad that Team Seven had made something of themselves. It felt that, at last, he had made amends for what had happened to his own genin team.

Predictably enough, the team he had nurtured had a certain knack for getting into trouble in some way, and this time, it appeared to be Sakura's turn. Usually, it was Naruto that caused issues, but at some point, the sole kunoichi of Team Seven needed a chance to stir things up. According to her, Uchiha Itachi was getting on her nerves. While it amused him, he could not say he was all too surprised by this.

What had made him do a double take was when Itachi suddenly appeared as he carried her home, assuming the position of a protective boyfriend. Kakashi had heard the rumors, to be sure, but never had he imagined that it was possible that the Uchiha heir could truly be involved with his once-student. Sakura had already been drunk when Kakashi had joined her, and he had known better than to take anything she said seriously. She must have been speaking the truth, however, if his presence meant anything.

"Hatake-san," the Uchiha heir greeted calmly, though not looking from the unconscious Sakura in his arms. It was obvious to Kakashi just what his objective was. The small, sleeping female in his arms. It could have been worse, he supposed.

"Uchiha-san," he returned easily, wondering if the Uchiha heir intended to be candid with him, or beat around the bush.

It was not that Kakashi unapproved of Sakura's choice in Uchiha Itachi, because the man that stood before him was completely capable of keeping her...well, _alive. _That was more than what he could say for most of her suitors. Much like Tsunade did, Kakashi looked at Sakura like he would a daughter, and though he was well aware he was still young enough to have children of his own, he did not see it happening unless by accident. Besides, it was easier to look at an adult as the child missing in his life, rather than someone that actually was a _child. _He did not have to deal with immaturity at all. At least, not from her.

So, as someone she still looked up to with the respect of a father, though her own parents were both alive, Kakashi felt it necessary to be sure someone unworthy did not get near her. Itachi, however, though against Naruto and Sasuke's wishes, was a good match. If her choice could beat _him _in a fight, then he was fully able to care for her. Though it was somewhat strange, coming from the jonin bachelor, he sincerely wished Sakura all the happiness in the world with Uchiha Itachi.

Unless, naturally, Itachi managed to ruin their relationship and broke her heart. If that happened, no matter how powerful he was, there would be hell to pay, and Kakashi would be sure of that. He wondered belatedly if he should warn Itachi now, even if their relationship was nearing full-bloom. As annoyed as Sakura had acted when speaking about him, her affection was clear. Dare he think it, Kakashi was under the impression that she was falling for the Uchiha heir, hard. If she _was _in love with him, cautioning the illustrious ANBU captain would be pointless.

Kakashi did have some, thanks to his studious perusal of the _Icha Icha_ series, belief in romance, though as a bachelor at his age, he much preferred flitting from one, willing female to the next, instead of settling down in a stable relationship. Those, for obvious reasons, led to children. Needless to say, he was content with having reared three, once-helpless genin, and saw no purpose in doing more than that.

Itachi had paused at seeing Sakura in her previous instructor's arms, but knew to have confidence in her. "I can take Sakura home from here," he intoned softly, though his possession over her made evident. Kakashi looked slightly entertained by this notion.

Though his face was mostly covered by the ever present mask, it was painfully obvious Kakashi was smirking. "I'm not sure I should let you do that, Uchiha-san. Sakura made it clear she was irritated with you, and I don't want to be on the wrong side of her temper, for handing her over. I would prefer to stay out of your lover's spat, if possible."

He was trying to get a rise out of him, and Itachi knew this most definitely. Sakura was the only one he knew of that was capable of getting him to react to being taunted, and the main reason she got away with it was because she was just as easy to pick back at. In a strange way, it was almost like flirting for them.

Itachi's response was smooth and collected. "I have no intention in involving you in our disagreement, Hatake-san," he said calmly. "All I wish to do is return Sakura to her apartment, and when she wakes, resolve the small issue at hand."

It was hard to goad someone who was being perfectly reasonable, much to Kakashi's discernment. He had meant to hand over the sleeping kunoichi either way, but could not help adding one, last comment. "Well, if she hunts me down for this, I'm going to claim that you placed a particularly creepy genjutsu over me in typical Uchiha fashion, and then run for the hills so you can deal with her fit of rage."

Itachi was sorely tempted to roll his eyes at this, no thanks to spending a majority of his free time with Sakura. Her childish habits where adorable on her, but he was certain it would not have quite the same affect, coming from _him. _Still, as he took the slender female from her old sensei, he could not help making a jab, as well, knowing it would irk the man.

"I find that her anger could be channeled into something else very nicely."

With Sakura already in his arms, he was given the opportunity to glance at the older shinobi smugly, taking in the stunned, and slightly horrified gleam in his visible eye, before utilizing a transportation jutsu to take them elsewhere. Before Kakashi recovered enough to do something about what he had just said.

* * *

The last thing Sakura could remember was drinking at _The Red Fist, _with Kakashi. When she finally stirred, however, she found herself happily situated in her bed at home, the comforter pulled up to her chin as a form of protection from the increasingly colder Konoha nights. She had been somewhat concerned as she steadily became sloshed the night before that she would end up waking in Kakashi's apartment, which she hated, considering the unbearable _dog _smell that hung on all his fabrics.

It had been kind of Kakashi to drop her at home, though, even though he usually would not have gone out of his way to do so. Sighing, she sat up in bed, throwing off the thick comforter and sheets to see she was still wearing her kunoichi outfit. It would have been strange if he had undressed her though, even if her sleepwear was much more comfortable. He got points for taking her boots off for her, though, so with a small smile, she crawled out, removing her vest, spandex shorts and skirt as she went.

According to the clock hanging on her wall, it was still a reasonable time in the morning, so she decided, for once, she would relax. Naruto and Sasuke were out of the village still, so she did not have anyone to spar with, and she would not be allowed back in the hospital until twenty-four hours of being back in Konoha. She officially had nothing to do, and since she had not cleaned herself since returning home yet, she resolved that she would treat herself to a long bubble bath.

That in mind, she strutted out of her room, crossing the hall to draw a bath. She stopped abruptly, however, when her stomach growled. Annoyed with her bodily needs, she huffed, turning down the hall to enter the kitchen instead. She reached her living area though, pausing at the sight of _Itachi, _shirtless, and asleep on her obnoxiously red couch. Sakura was somewhat shocked he had not woken at her presence alone; she had always figured he was a light sleeper. Cautiously, she stepped towards the sleeping male, wondering if he could possibly be comfortable on her couch, before he roused, and looked up at her blearily.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other, and she realized, with a blush, why he was smirking so slyly. He did not look at all ashamed that he had just raked his eyes up, and then down, her body. She stood before him, wearing only the bindings around her breasts, and the dainty, clean, no-frills sort of panties she usually wore on missions. Sakura gulped, thinking he looked much more pleased than he ought to have.

"Itachi," she rasped softly, having just woken up, "What are you doing here?"

_What, indeed. _Itachi had, after putting her to bed the night before, intended to wait for her to wake again so they could speak. He hated the way things had been left, and was impatient to settle whatever issue there was. What he had no expected was to fall asleep on her couch not an hour after laying her down, despite have the control to stay up through the night, and even if her couch was worn and not particularly cozy. It was as if his instincts as a shinobi were rendered useless.

Now he gazed up at her, and all previous thought flew straight from his mind, because she was _so _appealing, without even trying to be. Itachi swallowed dryly. He was a man, and he would not deny that his mind was just as active as any other male, but never had he ever been so tempted by a woman. Slowly, Itachi sat upright.

It took him a moment to recollect his thoughts, and make an appropriate response. "Hatake-san gave you to me last night. I was waiting for you to wake up again." Itachi answered quietly. He had seen Sakura in her bindings before, though she had been wearing shorts at the time, and that made it completely different. He could hear his heart, its beating fast and loud in his ear.

She stepped closer, eyeing his bare chest with no abandon. His muscles rippled under her gaze, and he stood, looking slightly uncertain. "I can go get something for breakfast, so you bathe. I'll be back in fifteen minutes." He murmured, picking up his discarded shirt. He was turning away from her, looking slightly embarrassed, and Sakura did not like the feeling that he was running.

Her hand shot out, grabbing his upper arm. "I want to talk, Itachi." She whispered, his expression pained when he looked back at her.

"As do I," he answered. "We will when I return."

Sakura did not let go, pulling him back to her, and meeting his gaze utterly unashamed. Gently, she took his shirt from him, dropping it, before reaching up to press her lips to his. At that, he could not resist. Not caring that she was practically naked, he tugged her closer, his hands gripping her hips as she stroked his cheeks with care.

The feel of his hands on her bare skin burned, and it should not have been nearly as pleasant as it was, but as he drank each of her shaky sighs, she longed for more. Not used to such urges, she found herself scraping her hands down his chest, eyes cracked open slightly as he growled. Suddenly, she did not care that she was hungry, or that she had wanted a morning to herself, so she could take a long bath and relax. All she wanted was for him to be closer.

It did not matter that she was supposed to be angry with him, either. Especially not when he latched his hot, moist mouth on her surprisingly sensitive neck and started to kiss her there. Warmth curling through her body, she found herself moaning with every touch he bestowed, before he lifted her smaller form, his large hands grabbing her bottom intimately. A gasp tore through her, and she was only left to react by lifting her legs up to wrap around his narrow hips.

"We _really _shouldn't..." he interrupted himself as he roughly captured her lips again, "...be doing this." Itachi finished heatedly as she crushed herself closer to him. She did not appear to be all that bothered by his statement, however, because she sought his mouth again, her arms around his neck.

"No," she panted lightly, "we shouldn't." Sakura replied in agreement, before adding with a snarl, "and I still want to talk about what happened." Unfortunately, that was not enough to stop them. Not, at least, until there was a sudden ring of the doorbell, and they could scarcely look at each other without becoming abashed. Considering he was dressed more than Sakura, with his pants still on, Itachi went to answer it while Sakura quickly dashed into her room to find clothes to cover herself with.

She really did not want her visitor, whoever they were, to see her in her panties and bindings.

* * *

Tsunade looked frustrated. The interrogation of Danzo's Root member had only just begun, but so far, their top interrogators had not been able to make anything of the situation. Apparently, according to Ibiki, he had a heavy seal placed over him, so if he spilled even the smallest thing about Danzo's nefarious plan, he would be shocked into silence.

Therefor, there was not much they could do, not with the methods they were currently using. Tsunade hated more than anything, those horrible council meetings, but as precious time slipped by, she knew it was becoming necessary. There was a chance that the council would not support her, and in fact encourage Danzo's scheme, but she really had no choice but to consult them.

"Shizune," she sighed tiredly, "I want a full council meeting. Summon _all _the elders, except Danzo. This is no longer something we can keep secret, if Danzo does succeed in staging a coup."

The woman smiled sadly, before saying. "Tsunade-sama, I'm scheduled to run the operating room all today. I won't be able to attend to take notes like I usually do."

Tsunade considered it for a moment. "Sakura returned with Itachi and Sai yesterday afternoon." She stated quietly, after much deliberation. "As much as I would hate for her to witness one of the council meetings, she cannot take your place in going to the hospital. I want you to summon her first, so I can prep her beforehand. I don't want her to look like a gaping fish when the truth unravels."

Shizune, looking slightly relieved. "Very well, Tsunade-sama. As far as security goes, who-

"ANBU Team One." She answered, already having decided. "If Danzo hears about this meeting, he will not shrink away quietly. If anything, he will take action instantly. Get Sakura, then Team One before summoning the elders."

Shizune nodded her head. "Yes, Tsunade-sama!" Then she was off running to prepare the meeting. Her heels clicked on the floor as she dashed through the Hokage tower, but she shot forward, thankful that Sakura's apartment was not far from her starting point. She felt horrible for the young kunoichi, because there was no telling what she would witness in the meeting. Tsunade had the tendency to get nasty, and the elders were no different.

At least the Hokage was being kind enough to prepare her before it started, or she would be at a loss for words. Hoping she would not be waking the young woman, Shizune rang the doorbell, before patiently stepping back and waiting. She was stunned, however, when the door swung open to show not Sakura as she had been expecting, but instead a certain Uchiha heir, shirtless, with his hair down and in disarray. If he was at all surprised to see _her, _though, he did not show it.

"Is Sakura-chan here?" She asked cautiously, not quite sure how she felt about seeing Itachi there. He was not given the chance to respond though, because Sakura bolted from the back of the apartment, pulling on a pair of shorts as she went. After hearing her senpai's voice, she had not hurried herself with pulling on a shirt as well, not feeling too bothered if the older woman saw her in bindings.

"Sorry, Shizune-nee. What is it?" Sakura asked breathlessly, standing beside Itachi. It was very clear that they had been interrupted. Shizune eyed her for a moment, slightly embarrassed by the thought of barging in on their..._intimate moment. _

She sighed softly, wondering if she should later approach Sakura about her relationship with Itachi, before she was forced into something. "I'm afraid you're going to have to take notes for Tsunade-sama in a council meeting. I was scheduled to run to OR today, and you can't take my place, since you only just returned. She wanted to be able to talk with you beforehand, as well."

Sakura nodded, smiling softly. "It's no problem. I don't have Sasuke or Naruto around to bug me yet, so I have nothing else to do."

Shizune glanced at the Uchiha heir, musing over if that was truly the case. "Uchiha-san," She addressed him calmly, "Tsunade-sama has requested that ANBU Team One run security. She wishes to brief your team before the elders start appearing. It will be a full council meeting."

Itachi nodded his head, understanding. "I will need to return to the compound to get my uniform. I will alert Shisui and Shiranui on my way." He stated softly, returning into the apartment to grab his shirt. Smirking, and very obviously not bothered by witnesses, he quickly kissed Sakura, before leaving to prepare. Shizune stared after him, astounded by his rather forward actions. Sakura met her gaze with a flushed expression.

"I'm guessing it's safe to assume that some part of the rumors circulating Konoha is true." Shizune commented at last, offering the younger kunoichi an awkward grin. "I hope Uchiha-san makes you happy."

Sakura bit her lip, trying not to blush. A small smile broke through her features. "I won't deny that he seriously gets on my nerves, but I really think he can. If not, he already knows me well enough to expect the worst." She snickered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Shizune laughed lightly, nodding her head. Sakura took after Tsunade in ways that almost made it scary. "You should know, Sakura-chan, that having a relationship with a clan heir will be very complicated, especially as a kunoichi. You do realize that eventually, you will be expected to become a loyal, Uchiha wife, and though I am not to familiar with Uchiha-san, you may be asked to sacrifice your career to completely different duties." She warned quietly.

Sakura's smile fell slightly. She had already known all these things, of course. "Shizune-nee, nothing with Itachi is definite. I'm just letting things go where they will, and if things do end up like that, then I think I'll be okay with it."

Sakura could not imagine Itachi asking her to end her career as a kunoichi either way, in favor of duties owed to the clan. She had to be prepared for the worst, however, when having a relationship with such a powerful man. There was no telling what could happen between them, and considering how things had changed so far, she would not have been shocked if Itachi _did _ask for her hand. She was uncertain still if she could accept the man's offer, should he make one, but she was happy thus far. Sakura did not want worries about what could be ruining what was one of her best relationships.

Shizune lay a hand on her shoulder. "I just want to be sure Uchiha-san doesn't force you into something you don't want." She said tenderly. "Now, get dressed and hurry to Tsunade-sama. You're going to want to know what she has to say before entering that meeting."

* * *

As Sakura gracefully took a seat at the Hokage's right, she knew Shizune was correct in saying she would want to hear what Tsunade had to say before sitting before the village elders. There were a few faces amongst the elders which she did not recognize, but she was surprised to see Uchiha Fugaku, head of the Uchiha clan, a part of the group. Instantly, she was glad that Itachi stood calmly behind her and Tsunade, acting as a visible guard while Shisui and Genma hid in the shadows.

As a child, like many others that hailed from civilian homes, Sakura had been taught the art of calligraphy. While during the meeting, she would not be required to make pieces of art, to be sure, but she would at least feel comfortable writing with the brush and ink. She was not one to boast, but she was proficient to say the least, in her handwriting.

The room now filled, Tsunade silenced the bickering group of elders, quietly glancing at her young apprentice, before addressing them. "Konoha elders, I come before you now because our village could very easily be overthrown and destroyed." She stated, raising her voice to be heard. "We need to act now, before a tragedy occurs, and Konoha is rendered irreparable."

Before she could add onto this, there was an eruption of conversations, until one of the elders, and ancient looking bald man with a white beard spoke above the rest with a tone of authority. "If this is such an important meeting, Hokage-sama, then where is Shimura Danzo? He is also a member of this council, and as head of Root, would be very useful to hear from, in such a situation."

Similar questions, most of which Sakura could not make out, followed from the other elders. Tsunade raised her arms, signaling for silence.

"Shimura Danzo is the reason this meeting is necessary. He intends to stage a coup." She said at last. Shouting filled the room, some of them claiming she was lying, others stating Danzo was a dirty rat, and that they had known it for years.

Sakura was very thankful she had known this before entering, because she would not have been able to pay attention, for the shock it had given her. She gazed at Itachi for a moment, wondering how he must have felt, behind that ANBU mask. His shoulders looked rather tense, and it worried her. She now understood, of course, why he had not been able to tell her the truth before, when capturing Sai. Sakura felt slightly guilty by it, knowing she should have trusted him without having to know everything.

Tsunade raised a hand again, and they quieted, much to Sakura's relief.

"I suggest," it was Homura who decided to speak first, "that we use Danzo's own tactics against him. When the Uchiha attempted to stage a coup a decade ago, we almost had to have them wiped out. It would be for the good of Konoha, to clean out Root." He paused here for a moment then added with a low tone, "Uchiha Itachi was ordered to do it before, so I'm sure he's plenty capable of handling Root."

Sakura did not bother with discreteness. Her head whipped around painfully so she could look at Itachi. He looked uncomfortable with the conversation, and she tried to meet his eyes, to understand what was being said, if a little, but it was impossible with his hawk mask on. It was a horrifying, disturbing thing to think, Itachi could have, if what was being said was true, murdered his own family. She thought back; it was a decade ago when she had first met Itachi in the training grounds. He would never have saved her then, if he had massacred his clan as ordered. He would have been exiled for such a thing, because even if it had been ordered by the council, it would still be considered a disgusting crime. What would such a thing have done to him?

She turned to his father, however, when his voice, cold and harsh, rung out in the room. "Itachi is my son, and heir to the Uchiha clan. He has other duties to complete."

Koharu was quick to interject her opinion. "You have two sons, Fugaku. Considering it's because of him that your clan is still alive, I'm sure you can give back a little. Uchiha Sasuke can become clan head, if that is what you're so concerned about." She said calmly, clearly siding with Homura. Fugaku looked about ready to pounce on the elder woman, at her proposal.

"Itachi will _not _be used to do your bidding! He is the only one who could possibly become head of the Uchiha clan, and-

Tsunade cut off his angered spew. "Enough!" She shouted hotly, demanding the room's attention again. "Uchiha Itachi will not be sacrificed for such a dirty mission, just so the council can clean their hands of this mess. He is one of my best men, and besides, Danzo would expect us to use that sort of tactic. If we do wipe out Root, how are we any better than him? We might as well _let _him destroy the village, if that's what you want!"

"Do not be ignorant, Tsunade-hime," Homura condescended. "If Danzo does intend to take control of Konoha, then you must act swiftly, to snuff the issue before it becomes a public ordeal. The Sandaime was able to compromise with the Uchiha clan a decade ago, but Danzo will not be so reasonable. You have no choice but to sacrifice someone in able to protect this village."

Sakura could practically hear Fugaku gritting his teeth from where she sat. Worriedly, she looked first at Tsunade, wondering if her resolve would be cracked, and then back at Itachi. She could never ask it of him, but she wanted to know what had happened to him, so many years ago. He looked slightly frustrated, by his stance, and she wished so badly that she could know just what he was thinking. It must have been like reliving a nightmare, even if his targets would not be his own family, should he be assigned to massacre all of Root. How she longed to reach over to him, to offer her own comfort, much like he had to her so many times before.

Tsunade's mind could not be changed, though. "I will not have Itachi, or anyone for that matter, eliminate Root while the council remains immune to punishment for this crime, and that's my final decision, as Hokage. Danzo and his Root members will be stopped in a different way."

While Homura and Koharu looked disappointed by this announcement, the kept silence, knowing better than to question her judgement as Hokage further. The room remained hush after this declaration, as each of the elders considered alternate methods to protecting Danzo. It was not one of the elders that reached any sort of conclusion first, however, but rather, Itachi.

Sakura tried to listen, to no avail, as he knelt down to murmur something into Tsunade's ear. Whether she looked pleased or not by what he had told her, Sakura could not tell. There was a moment of pause, in which Tsunade nodded her head, and the elders looked at the ANBU guard with curiosity. Seemingly with permission, he maneuvered about Tsunade's ground-level table, removing his mask as he stood before the amphitheater of seated elders, and bowed with respect, despite having just been discussed like a tool, just minutes before.

"Honorable elders," he directed himself towards them, "I have given my opinion on this situation to Tsunade-sama, and she wishes me to share it with the council as well." Itachi declared quietly, his face a clean, stone slate, with no emotions perceivable at all.

Satisfied that they gave him the attention he asked for, Itachi continued. "Though my prediction cannot be certain, there is a chance that Shimura Danzo will use the New Year's festival in approximately two weeks to his advantage. There is a fireworks show each year, and it could be used to mask an attack made by either Root, or Akatsuki. That could be our best chance to resolve the issue at hand."

* * *

Sakura had almost forgotten that it was almost New Year's, considering the fact winters in Konoha were not very cold at all. They never had snow, for as long as she could remember, and the only time anyone really needed to wear warmer clothes was early in the morning, or late at night, because the days were a tolerable temperature, and the sun was out most of the time. They usually got a month straight of rain, but even that was not too bad.

She had listened, and jotted down as much as she possibly could, of what was said by the council, Itachi and Tsunade, hoping she did a satisfactory job. While Itachi still looked a little bothered by what had been suggested, he had managed to remain civil towards the council, and had somehow got them to reach an agreement. Still, she could not help feeling slightly awkward after what had happened between them that morning.

It had been stupid of them, _of her, _to simply act without thinking. When she thought back to it, they had gotten very close to doing something she still was not sure she was ready for. It was clear she was physically prepared to achieve a sexual level with Itachi, by how she had reacted to his touch, and having his body pressed so firmly against hers, but emotionally, she was on the fence. She supposed they would have to talk about what have could have been _the right moment, _along with this Uchiha massacre mystery, and by the looks of it, his parents.

With the meeting adjourned, Itachi had been called over to his father as the elders started filing out. He could hardly ignore him, especially after his father had defended him against the elders earlier. He knew, at the same time, the conversation they had was not going to be pleasant, and he had to force himself to stand still as Sakura stood at the side, clearly waiting for him. She had looked more than just concerned for him throughout the meeting, especially after the almost-massacre had been brought up.

His father cleared his throat. "Itachi, I want you to bring Haruno Sakura home some time soon. She should understand what an honor it is to become your bride, even if you say she has no interest in such things. I had hoped you would have an heir - a son - of your own by the time you were twenty-five, perhaps more than one."

Itachi glanced over his shoulder at the young woman, waiting so patiently for him, images of their morning together coming to mind at what his father said. He swallowed. "Chichi-ue, I have no intention in rushing her. I will speak to her about coming over to the compound for dinner this weekend, but she is not ready to hear about marriage into the clan, or about bearing my child. If you and Okaa-san can refrain yourselves from speaking about grandchildren and Uchiha heirs, I might be able to persuade her into coming." He answered firmly.

His father shook her head. "She should know what is expected of her, Itachi. If she is so unruly that she cannot accept her duties as an Uchiha wife, then she is not as acceptable to wed you as I originally thought."

Something about this irked Itachi, but he could not figure why. "I will speak to her," he repeated in an attempt to calm himself. "She will not be rushed, however, and if you do somehow deem her an inappropriate choice, that would be unfortunate, because I have already reached my decision, and she is the one I have chosen."

There was a short pause on his father's side. While pleased by his conviction in choosing Sakura, Fugaku still saw no point in putting off the inevitable. In short, he sighed tiredly. "Very well, Itachi," he relented. "I will not hurry you on this matter for the moment, but if she has not bore you a child by the time you are twenty-five, I will have no choice but to step in. You have a year and a half, then, to complete this."

This, Itachi did not have a difficult time agreeing to. With a smirk, he bowed, before turning to join Sakura. She must have heard most of what had been said, because her face was flushed red, and she took a moment to meet his gaze. His smirk widened as he possessively curled an arm around her slender waist, and led her from the room. After seeing her so uneasy for him during the meeting, Itachi had no doubt that she had plenty of questions for him.

She remained silent though, and he could feel the weight of her stare.

"So," he asked somewhat delicately, "besides Uchiha heirs and overblown weddings, what other sort of conversation topics would you prefer to avoid with my parents?"

Sakura huffed, trying not to laugh. Despite everything, it was apparent that Itachi was in a good mood. It was early afternoon, and as if he knew her body better than she did, he guided her into a small takoyaki stand, just in time for her stomach to complain. He ordered for them both servings, before turning back to her expectantly, wanting an answer to his question.

"Itachi, as long as they don't start scheming something, or bring up either of those ungodly subjects, I'm willing to try." She smiled softly. "This weekend, then?"

He nodded his head, taking the glass of iced water from the server, and taking a long gulp. Sakura took her own glass, holding it for a moment. "I'm sorry for being angry with you earlier. It was a little ridiculous of me."

Itachi shook his head. "I should have allowed you to continue with Team Seven."

She did not answer at first, instead opting to split a pair of chopsticks and take a bite of takoyaki she had just been served. Suddenly, she remembered just how hungry she was, since she had not eaten anything for breakfast, and bar food did not stick for very long. He watched her with amusement as she happily ate, taking a pair of chopsticks for himself.

The silence was comfortable, easy, as if there was no need for them to speak. She was about halfway through her plate when she slowed, wanting to savor the rest of her meal, rather than scarf it. She felt slightly silly in front of him, unable to control herself, even when she ate.

She sighed. "Itachi, I want to talk to you about what happened, this morning, and in the meeting."

His responding smirk was absolutely devious, and she should have known better. "Really, now, Sakura," he purred teasingly. "What happened this morning?"

Unable to stop herself, she blushed bright red, recognizing the fact he had said something similar when they first kissed. "I'm not joking, Itachi." Sakura said smartly, "I don't want you pulling that move on me again, because a kiss is not the same thing as us almost..." she trailed off at his dirty, mischievous look, before forcing herself to finish. "It isn't the same as us almost having sex."

He nodded his head wisely. "Ah, so _that _was what almost happened this morning."

Sakura, however, was not amused in the least. "I'm serious, Itachi. This is important."

He, in turn, smiled gently. "Yes, I know, Sakura. I am willing to be reasonable, and I doubt I can avoid telling you about what could have been known as The Uchiha Massacre," he answered softly, brushing his lips against her forehead tenderly.

Sakura exhaled slowly. Ino was right. He had a forehead fetish.

* * *

AN: Yay, an update! :D Everyone is under the impression that I hate Sai now...but that isn't true. He's okay. I wouldn't even consider him so much the bad guy in this fic, as much as he is a pawn for Danzo. So don't be too upset!

As always, the reviews are very encouraging. I love to read what you guys have to say, and it's seriously helpful. Thank you for your comments and suggestions! :)


	18. Murderous Intent

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto.

* * *

_Suddenly, anger cripples; colors red everything around me._

_Sometimes we hurt the ones that we love, and it kills me inside._

* * *

_A blade. Sharp. Pointed. Hovering above her neck._

_Sakura froze. She was not used to being attacked in her own home, but as a kunoichi, should have been better prepared for it. It had been such a long time since she had been on the active roster, though, having spent the last four years of her life as the good, faithful Uchiha wife. She let out a shaky sigh, biting her lip for fear._

_She suddenly felt completely, and utterly alone. Her husband was due back from his mission within hours, and her son, only three years old, was taking an afternoon nap. She was standing in the kitchen, planning out what to serve for dinner, trying to think of something that would not make her nauseous. Her back was to her enemy. Fear rose in her as she gently pressed her palm into the small bump of her abdomen._

_Itachi had been gone for only god knew how long, and a strange feeling swelled in her chest, that she would never see him again. She had no doubt he would return to her and their son in perfect health, but rather, she was suddenly afraid that she would not be alive to greet him. That blade kissed her skin stingingly, drawing a small line of blood, and she sobbed. _

_The voice of her attacker chuckled, reveling in her terror. His cold chakra engulfed them both, and her alarm increased as the man rested his hand over her growing stomach. Itachi...he did not know yet. He probably would not have accepted such a lengthly mission if he had known about the pregnancy. He would come home to realize he had lost both a child and his wife. She had been so excited to tell him, too, knowing that he had been greatly anticipating the opportunity to see her carry his child again. Sakura's only hope was that the man with his blade pressed to her neck did not sense her son, sleeping above their heads._

"_Your husband is a foolish man, to leave both his wife and children so unprotected and defenseless. He's been busy with his little toy though, hasn't he? I wonder if his second child could have surpassed him." He murmured into her hair. Shit, he knew about her little boy upstairs. _

_She shut her eyes tightly, willing that her tears not fall. "What do you want from me?" _

_His following laugh sounded half insane. She gulped, the first tear slipping through her hold. "Itachi thought he killed me, all those years ago. He should have known such a thing was impossible. There is no way even he could surpass an immortal," he cackled. "You, my dearest child, will be my message to him: Uchiha Madara is still very much alive, and I'm getting my revenge, now that he's settled into that comfort zone. He should have never let his guard down."_

_Then, there was blood. Lots of blood. Yet, she felt no pain. She heard nothing. She saw nothing but red. Sakura had always thought death would be much worse. She was covered in it though, and watched as Madara's blade fell to the ground with a seemingly loud clang in the silence. Why did she not feel anything? Unless it had, miraculously, not been her blood that was spilt. _

_Warily, she turned. Sharingan eyes spinning with fury, she met the gaze of her husband, who with a hard look, continued what he was doing; dragging a bloodied body from her kitchen. Sakura bent over, covering her mouth, before moaning, vomiting what had been her lunch. She was a kunoichi. She was used to seeing gory, gruesome things, but what Itachi was pulling along, leaving a pool of blood as he went, was beyond anything she had seen before._

_He had more than just _killed _the man, he had fully mutilated him, beyond recognition. It could no longer be considered human. Sakura stumbled after him, reaching the front of the house just in time to see the _body, _if it could be considered that any more, be consumed by impossibly hot flames. She looked down at her hands and apron. It would be impossible to get them clean. Even her hair was sticking to her face, the warm, crimson liquid streaming down from the crown of her head._

* * *

Sakura shot up, a gasp tearing through her throat. It was a dream, it had all been a _dream. _She could hardly believe it. With a shaky hand, she wiped the clammy sweat from her forehead, before moving the tangled hair from her face. Throwing the blankets sticking to her skin off, she sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the clock on her bedside table, trying to process what it said. When she realized it was still much too early to be awake, nearing only two in the morning, she groaned, standing up with frustration.

Itachi had told her vaguely that Uchiha Madara was dead, and had been for seven years at least, while leaving the faint impression that _he_ had been the one to kill him. Sakura had been stunned by Madara's involvement in the almost-coup a decade previous, and how he could have, very easily, participated in eliminating the Uchiha clan. He had supposedly died around a century before that, in a fight with the Shodaime Hokage. That was what she had been taught in the academy, and before that afternoon, when she had talked with Itachi about his past and his orders to annihilate his clan, she had never doubted it. Now, she was beginning to doubt what Itachi had told her, as well, even if she knew he would never intentionally lie to her about such a thing.

Sakura shook her head. She should not have been doubting Itachi's judgment. If he had _seen _Uchiha Madara die, had likely been the one to deliver the killing blow, then he had to be dead. Apparently, after Madara had been so ready to annihilate the Uchiha, his clan had gone on a mad hunt for the deranged man, not resting until he was dead. Most of Konoha's history was sketchy, and so it was very possible that Shodaime had not killed Madara, while everyone else thought he had. Their battle at Valley's End had questionable honor, and theories had formed that the Kyuubi and title as Hokage had been very much involved. No one could be certain of the truth.

With a sigh, she stalked out of her bedroom, tiredly shuffling into the kitchen. She was not hungry, but rather bored, and with nothing much more to comfort her besides a cup of instant ramen, she was not too tempted to eat. Still, she could not help checking her refrigerator, even if she already knew what she had. As she suspected, there was nothing besides miso paste and a container of umeboshi. Sakura supposed she would have to go shopping in the morning, when the market was open.

Her freezer was equally stark, an old packet of gyoza being the only thing inside besides a bag of ice that had likely frozen together to form a block. Huffing to herself, she poured a glass of water from the tap, before sitting down at her table under the florescent lighting. She had to wonder; why had only half of her dream bothered her? Everything about it had been alarming, when she thought about it.

She had, in the dream, been attacked by a man thought dead, and that was troubling indeed, considering she had never met the man before, and knew there was no chance he would ever hunt _her, _a comparatively inconsequential shinobi to Itachi, or anyone else, for that matter. More concerning, was the fact her dream-pregnancy had hardly fazed her until then. Was such a thing really that inevitable? She was reminded of the conversation she had overheard between Itachi and his father.

The fact his clan had put a time limit on the stages of their relationship was daunting without the thought of producing an heir with him. Fugaku had spoken as if it was predestined to happen, without having spoken to _her, _the one who was expected to carry and deliver this heir. She was uncertain if she liked how easily the Uchiha clan, Itachi's father in particular, assumed she was prepared to bear a child. _A year and a half..._by then, she would be only just twenty. Itachi would be turning twenty-five, a respectable age to have children.

Her mother had been younger when giving birth to her, but Sakura was still unconfident in their conclusions. She only wanted to see where her relationship with Itachi would go, without such expectations. She should have known such hopes would be unrealistic. Itachi was the heir, and there were certain things required for him to do, just to become clan head.

Though it had been years before, Sakura recalled Sasuke jokingly tell them that Itachi would never become head of the clan because he was obliged to have an heir of his own before. The joke had been that his elder brother was too antisocial to even find a woman acceptable to bear him an heir, and Sasuke had thought it quite amusing, at the time. Now, when _she_ was the one being subtly pushed to carry his child, she did not find it humorous at all. Itachi, of course, had narrowly escaped discussing this matter with her, but she decided he would not avoid the conversation again.

Gulping down the remaining contents of her glass, Sakura returned to her room. She would not be able to get any more sleep until she felt satisfied with her knowledge of Uchiha Madara. She hated the feeling of ignorance, and there was only one thing that could solve her current problem, extensive studying of Konoha's, and more specifically, the Uchiha clan's history. That in mind, she tugged a pair of standard, shinobi pants over her bare legs, feeling slightly strange in them since she rarely wore anything but her skirt. It was still cold out, being the middle of the night, and not wanting to put a bra on, she tugged a jacket over her tee, zipping it up and tying her hair into a small ponytail.

Satisfied, she locked her apartment with a notebook and pencil in hand, using a transportation jutsu to relocate herself in front of the Konoha library. This time of night, it was closed to civilians and anyone bellow the rank of jonin, but she was unconcerned. The chunin standing guard, Konohamaru, grinned up at her in a way that was reminiscent of Naruto.

"Sakura-nee! What are you doing here?" He asked cheerfully.

"Just some research, Konohamaru-kun," She answered honestly, stepping past the chunin with authorization. "Something was bugging me, so I figured I should look it up."

He nodded wisely. "Tell Naruto-nii that I have a new pervy ninjutsu to show him!" He replied not too quietly as she stepped into the building, flipping on the lights.

She could not help the small laugh. "Tell him yourself! I don't want to be involved with your contest of dirty jutsu." Sakura called back at him firmly, shaking her head at how similar he really was to her blond teammate.

* * *

It had just been one of those nights. Itachi had managed to drift off for a few hours, but then he woke again, and it became very clear, very fast, that he would not be falling asleep soon. Usually, he would sit up on the roof in such situations, and he did, until it started to drizzle. Itachi was fond of rain, but he was not too pleased when he got wet. So, he had dropped back into his room when it started to come down more fully.

He tried to lay back down in bed after that, and listened the pitter-patter of water-drops on the house tiles, in hopes that it would lull him back to sleep. After an hour of tossing and turning, he gave up on that thought, decided to stop fighting the unavoidable. So, he threw off his sheets, crawling out of bed, and trekking down the stairs. As expected for the time of night, no one was in the downstairs half of the house, and the kitchen was empty. He stood in the dark kitchen awkwardly, before deciding what it was he wanted, where he wanted to be.

_Sakura. _Itachi was not particularly used to longing the company of any individual, least of all a woman, but suddenly, he had silently dashed up the stairs again, pulled on a shirt to wear with his sweatpants, before racing out the door, grabbing an umbrella on his way. When he reached her apartment, however, it was easy to deduce that she was not home. He entered through her bedroom window anyway, just to be certain. Her bed was unmade, indicating she had gotten up at some point before he had gotten there, and the sheets were already cold.

He scoped her small flat, but she was no where to be seen, and he could not sense her chakra signature. Frowning, he tried to think of the places she could have gone, so late in the night. He could think of only one bar that would still be open at three, that being _The Red Fist, _but he doubted she had gone there so late, when it would be practically empty, besides the few stragglers that did not have much of a home to return to.

Suddenly, he had the strange feeling that it had something to do with what they had last spoken about. The coup. The almost-massacre. It was a lot to deal with, to think he had almost killed all of his beloved family, and so perhaps she had needed someone to help her cope. While he wished that could have been _him, _in this case, he could guess why she had not sought him out, considering the entire situation was awkward.

There was only one place he could think of that she could have possibly gone. To her best friend's house. With a small frown of displeasure, he exited the apartment again, taking to the roof, and speeding towards the center of Konoha. Slightly concerned, since the lights of the shop were off, Itachi knocked on the glass door. He only had to wait a few minutes before a bleary looking Yamanaka Ino stumbled out the stairwell in the back of her family's flower shop.

Slightly miffed, she unlocked the glass door roughly, before throwing it open. "Uchiha-san, what the hell are you doing here so early in the morning?" She griped. "If I don't get a suitable answer, I can, and _will _tie you up and throw you to a mob of your rabid fangirls."

Itachi blinked in bewilderment, before resolving it was best not knowing. "Forgive me, Yamanaka-san. I was looking for Sakura."

"You lost her?" She shrieked. "What is _wrong _with all you Uchiha? I swear, if you weren't Forehead's boy toy, I would probably beat your freaking face in with a potted plant!"

Displeased, to say the least, with her volume, and being called a _boy toy, _Itachi grimaced, his eyebrows cinching together in a pained expression. "She was not in her apartment when I checked. I assumed she would have gone here. Pardon my mistake." He stated simply, bowing politely-his mother instilled manners in him he sometimes wished he could live without-and turning to leave.

"Wait," Ino sighed with aggravation. "Do you even know where to look for her?"

Itachi stared at her evenly, before giving a small shake of his head. "I intended to check whatever establishments happen to be open this time of night. The list of places she could be is short." He answered frankly, not sure what to think when the young woman left the shop, closing the door behind her.

She sighed softly. "That will take you an hour at least, Uchiha-san. This late into the night, she's either at _The Red Fist, _or the main library." He gave her a strange look. "Hey, don't ask me about her weird habits! She just has this thing about midnight researching marathons, ever since she became Tsunade-sama's apprentice. If she isn't there, or at the bar, then you have reason to be worried."

Itachi nodded in earnest thanks, before departing. Konoha's main library was closer than _The Red Fist, _so he decided to check for her there first. He nodded to the young chunin who was standing guard, and the boy knew to not question his being there. The rain was quieting, at least, and he was pleased, when stepping into the library, to see the lights on, and a pink-haired female at a table, with her face pressed into a heavy, dusty looking tome, with various other texts scattered around.

While at first he had been amused to see her asleep with her face in a book, he was instantly troubled when seeing just what she had been researching, so late at night. Uchiha_ Madara. _It was as he originally suspected; Sakura was not as unaffected by what he had told her about his clan, and what could have happened, then she had tried to appear. Tensely, he kneeled down next to her, gently resting a hand on her back.

"Sakura?" He asked softly as she stirred, her verdant eyes cracking open. "Are you okay?"

"I had a dream," she whispered slowly in a coarse tone, too tired to keep her eyes open. Her usually defenses dropped with her exhaustion, Sakura continued faintly, not thinking too much of what she was really telling him, and how he would perceive it. "I was having your baby," she murmured, "and Madara wanted to kill me, to get back at you. You showed up though, and killed him."

Itachi looked at her with astonishment, but did not say a word, not wanting to interrupt her. "We had a little boy, too, but he was upstairs, sleeping. I was really afraid that Madara would get him, once he killed me." She added sleepily, yawning. "There was a lot of blood, when you killed him. Then you set him on fire, too."

Itachi hardly knew how he was supposed to respond. He would calm her fears of Madara later, when she was more awake. So, he sighed. "I'm going to take you home."

She did not bother to open her eyes again as she wrapped her arms around his neck and settled into his arms. "You're warm," She mumbled quietly, nuzzling her face into his chest. Itachi could not help the small smile that threatened his lips upwards. He had never dealt with a half-asleep Sakura before, and in all honesty, he thought it was quite adorable.

With her nestled in his arms quite comfortably, he hummed softly back, "Go back to sleep, Sakura. I'm taking you home." Itachi whispered, thankful that the rain had stopped altogether. The chunin saluted to him as he left the library, as if approving. The mere notion had Itachi rolling his eyes.

"Itachi, you'll stay with me, right?" She asked mutedly, peeking one eye up at him as she awaited his answer.

"If that is what you want, Sakura." He answered calmly. Itachi hardly had any objections to her request, if it meant he got to hold her throughout the night, or at least what was left of it. She cracked a smile briefly, before curling closer.

* * *

Sakura could not say she was completely prepared for it when she woke to find she was not alone in her bed. When she first roused, stretching slightly as she usually did, she had to freeze at the shock of having a powerful, _warm, _clearly masculine body pressed against hers, a strong arm curling around her in an obvious show of possession. It took her a moment to remember what had happened early that morning. That Madara dream, and him finding her (for reasons yet to be disclosed) at the main library.

He tightened his hold slightly, before it loosened, and he kissed her shoulder affectionately. She sighed, figuring he had been awake long before she had, and twisted in his hold to face him. He was shirtless, and she was suddenly reminded of the small fight she had with him, in which she insisted he sleep in they way he would be most comfortable, before she wearily struggled out of her jacket and unwanted shinobi pants to crawl under the covers. Her bare legs were tangled with his, a strange sensation to be sure. Apparently, he had relented though, even though he was still wearing the sweatpants, and she did not remember exactly how their bickering had been resolved. Probably with her falling asleep again.

His silky, raven hair had come untied at some point, but still remained unnaturally neat, while hers was practically a rat's nest. Slowly sitting up, she could not help laughing at them both. Itachi looked up at her quizzically, but she shook her head, not sure if she would even be able to explain her delirious sense of humor to him. Instead, she settled the situation by leaning her head down and brushing her lips against his. He seemed to accept this readily.

It did not bother him that she most likely had morning breath, and she looked like a complete mess. No, it did not bother him at all, or he would never have lifted her up and placed her on his chest. She started giggling against his lips when she raised her hand up to caress his face, only to feel the growing stubble under her fingertips. It was a funny thought indeed, that a man like Uchiha Itachi was just as human as anyone else.

* * *

It was Saturday, and not to sound redundant, but that meant tomorrow would be _Sunday. _This fact had Sakura completely panicked and unprepared. She was beginning to wonder why it was she had ever agreed with Itachi to finally formally introduce herself to his parents as his prospective spouse. The mere thought terrified her, to say the least. What did was she supposed to wear to a dinner with her boyfriend (she still was not sure if this title was very fitting) and his parents, without looking like a gold digger, or like she was intimidated?

Usually, it was unwise to seek Ino's help, considering it involved clothing, but that was not what she really wanted to speak about. Ino would know, out of all her friends, what she was expected to do in this first meeting, and she knew she could not show up at the Uchiha door without being prepared.

In her usual fashion, Sakura stormed into the shop at midday, having skipped out on her lunch at Ichiraku's with Naruto and Sasuke after a good training session. She only had an hour before she needed to be at the hospital for her shift, but she intended to make the best of her time. Ino was flipping through the most recent issue of _Kunoichi Chic, _but used to the routine, slipped her magazine under the counter as she approached with heavy stomps.

"Ino," she said in a startlingly calm tone, despite her frenzied facial expression, "I need you to help me," Sakura continued slowly, trying to maintain control of herself. "I really just don't know what I should do."

Ino's eyes were wide with surprise. "Forehead! What the hell happened?" She asked, before adding as an after thought, "Does it have anything to do with Itachi?"

Sakura nodded her head weakly, looking faint. Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Ino did not so much as bother with her apron, stepping around the cash register to reach her friend, who looked like she needed some fresh air. Few people shopped for flowers during the winter, after all, even if the temperature outside was quite tolerable during the daytime. Nonetheless, as she pulled the kunoichi out to the back, where the garden and greenhouse was kept, Ino hollered, "Okaa-san, watch the shop for me!"

She did not wait for a response before leading Sakura to sit down at a small, stone bench that was lovely to sit at and admire the garden during the spring and summer months. Now, considering anything floral that grew outside would freeze at the roots during the night, the view was dull, since everything sold in the shop was being grown in the greenhouse.

"Now, tell me what he did," Ino demanded. "Itachi may not be bothered by threats, considering he completely ignored me when I told him I would beat his head in with a potted plant, but I will put my training with Ibiki to use on him, if I have to."

Sakura blinked slowly. "Do I even want to know why you were threatening Itachi?" She asked dubiously. Ino opened her mouth, as if to speak, but Sakura interrupted, deciding it was best, for the sake of what sanity she had left. "Never mind. I don't want to know." She muttered, before Ino rolled her eyes. "I just need you to tell me what to do tomorrow, when I go over to his house for dinner, because I do _not _want to look like this when I show up."

She was not shocked in the least when Ino clapped her hands excitedly. "You want me to dress you, Forehead?" She asked excitedly. "I'll do your makeup, too! You're lucky, because I _just _saw an advertisement in _Kunoichi Chic, _where this girl had her hair piled up in a way that would look really good on you. Your hair might be a little short for it, but I think I can make it work, if-

Sakura saw it necessary to stop the animated kunoichi while she still could. "Ino-pig, you aren't dressing me for tomorrow," She snapped quick to establish this important fact. "I want you to help me mentally prepare."

Ino frowned for a moment, disappointed that she would not get the opportunity to dress her friend up, but supposed she could still help. "Okay, fine." She grumbled back, looking very much distressed. "I have a question for you to answer, before giving you my advice." Ino stated, getting straight to the point. "First, have you had sex with him yet?"

Sakura bristled. "Ino! Would it kill you to not think about sex for once? Please be serious!"

Ino, however, did not laugh. Her blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I _am _being serious, Forehead. Listen to me, because this is important. I know Mikoto-san likes you already, but Uchiha Fugaku is not unlike any other clan head in Konoha. Regardless of whether you've slept with Itachi or not, he is going to assume you have. He might consider this a good thing, or practically a crime, depending on his view point, and you need to be prepared for the worst, even if there is a slim chance he will say anything about it."

Transfixed and in awe, Sakura nodded her head in comprehension.

"It really depends on what he values more: his son producing an heir, or the proper reputation of his clan. Now answer me honestly, have you slept with Itachi?"

Embarrassed slightly, Sakura blushed with a grimace. "We almost did it once, but no." She answered honestly.

Ino huffed, as if she was even more discontented by this. "Was that so hard?" She asked herself sarcastically, before continuing. "If he is more desperate for the Uchiha-babies to start popping out, then he might press for Itachi to just bang you already, rather than wait for you to marry him. If he considers the clan's image to be more important, however...I doubt he would tell his heir to _not_ get it on, but he would definitely command the use of contraception, to prevent a child being born out of wedlock. Either way, I would avoid it all."

Sakura wilted helplessly. She was _so _screwed.

* * *

Itachi, dressed in casual, clan wear, was slightly startled when a frantic, pink-haired kunoichi literally tumbled out her apartment door, and thankfully, into his arms. She wore nothing out of the ordinary, with the classic red vest, black tights and beige skirt. She had been pulling her boots up to her knees when answer the door, and that was the reason she had lost balance. Silently, Itachi approved that she had not dressed herself in any unnecessary way to join his family for dinner.

He could only just detect the subtle scent of perfume on her person, and it was not in the least overbearing, even to his sensitive nose. Besides that, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, besides what appeared to be chapstick on her lips. While his mother would have liked to see Sakura in a dress, his father, who's opinion mattered much more as the Uchiha head, would not have appreciated anything extravagant. She was dressed practically, however, considering her active lifestyle, and the fact she had gotten off her shift at the hospital early, having arrived home no more than a full twenty minutes before he was able to reach her.

His voice was quiet. "How was your day, Sakura?"

"Long, but good," she sighed, locking her front door, before linking her arm with his. Itachi nodded thoughtfully, letting a silence settled as they took the stairs down to the street.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked as they reached the dust-packed road, carefully maneuvering about the traffic of bustling people.

She grinned up at him. "Absolutely not. Let's go."

With that, she pulled him forward with no hesitation. He could not help the small chuckle that bubbled in his chest at her determination, but said nothing. His parents already knew Sakura very well, though his father not nearly as much as his mother, and though they were hesitant upon first meeting her in her genin years, they readily accepted her as being a teammate of their youngest son. She had no true reason to fear them, except for the eminent mentioning of uncomfortable conversation topics he had already warned them against. There was only so much to be done to rein in his mother, after all.

At a certain point, Itachi was certain his father had just given up. While his mother was a kind, gentle and cheery woman, she had a will of her own.

When Itachi had first met Sakura, he had refused on principal, to think that she was a better woman than his mother was. Now, however, much to his bewilderment, he found himself comparing the two woman, and their similar temperaments. It was amusing to think how easily his opinion could be changed, even if he often relied on first impressions of people.

Sakura truly was nothing like the woman he had presumed her to be.

She only showed how unconfident she felt when they had reached the compound, and even then she managed to reach the main household with her head held high. She knew Mikoto and Fugaku, _had _known them since she was thirteen, and Sakura had no reason to be so self-conscious and worried. She shifted from one leg to the other as she stood outside the door with Itachi.

He looked down at her rather dubiously. "I have every right to be scared, so don't give me that look." She growled. "You're parents can be downright fearsome, so don't act like I'm overreacting."

His ebony eyes, usually a clean slate of unwanted emotions, softened slightly. "I understand your reasoning for fearing my parents, but you already know that they adore you like a daughter." Itachi commented warmly, catching her flustered expression at that before softly pressing his lips to her forehead.

"You're mother might like me, Itachi, but you're father hates-

He took advantage of the opportunity, while conveniently silencing her fears as he lowered his mouth to hers. She squeaked with surprise, aware that he was trying to relax her before taking her inside so she would not be a nervous wreck, but not having the power to stop him. Flushing pink at his attentions, she leaned in closer to him, her small hands laying on his suddenly larger-feeling torso.

She could not deny being disappointed when he slowly pulled away from the comforting kiss. "Sakura," he breathed against her parted lips, "my mother loves you enough to make up for whatever feelings my father may have for you, though I can guarantee he does not hate you."

"Oh, joy. Lucky me," she muttered back, smoothing her hands over his chest and shoulders, before she snaked her arms around his neck. "We can all be one, big, happy family, right?" She grumbled sarcastically, before giving him a much too short series of openmouthed kisses he gladly reciprocated with a fervor that matched her own. It was then that a disgruntled Sasuke opened the front door to see them embracing, and lips locked.

Swallowing his disgust, he cleared his throat quietly to catch their attention. "Sakura, Aniki, would you mind _not _doing that outside the front door? I'm pretty sure someone besides me has seen you already, and it's just _gross." _He grumbled, crossing his arms. However preoccupied, Sakura managed to pry herself from him with a gasp, flushing crimson at Sasuke's skeptical look. Itachi smirked, shooting his brother a victorious expression, before quickly kissing the distracted kunoichi again.

Thoroughly embarrassed, Sakura was then led into the Uchiha household, where she removed her boots, and entered the kitchen. Mikoto was at work in front of the stove, stirring a pot of akamiso, a daikon and several yellowtail fillets set aside to be cooked.

Sakura smiled. "Mikoto-san, can I help you make the Buri Daikon?"

Mikoto whirled around excitedly, catching the younger woman in a hug before she could have prepared for it. "Sakura-chan! I thought for sure that my son was hogging you; it's been weeks since you were here." She said happily, before adding, "You should know I could never allow a guest in my home cook, when it is my duty to serve you. Please, relax. I know that your shifts at the hospital are long, so you must be tired."

Mikoto then turned to her son. "Itachi-chan, take her to the sitting room, and make sure she doesn't start doing something a guest shouldn't."

Much to his mother's surprise, though not so much to his own, Sakura raised her hand to Itachi, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait a second," she muttered. "Mikoto-san, I must insist you let me help. I have come into your home several times, most of the time uninvited, and eaten your cooking. It hardly seems fair that I laze around while you serve me." Sakura said firmly. "Besides, I know the recipe, and I'm sure cooking is not the only thing that you have done around the house, so please, take a break."

Though she was astounded, Mikoto smiled warmly at the girl. It appeared that Sakura was much more feisty than she had originally thought, and she was glad for it. Itachi would have walked all over her if it were not for her spunk, and Mikoto would not have liked seeing such a sad situation between her son and his intended. He would have been bored with a woman who did not have the backbone to stand up to him, and clearly, Sakura had enough spirit to put both the stony Uchiha heir, and even _her _in their place.

Though she dared not say it, especially after her son's warning that it would only result in scaring Sakura off, Mikoto suspected that she would become an excellent Uchiha matriarch. If she agreed to marry her son, that was, and bore him an heir. Few kunoichi, even if they did wish to have the Uchiha name, were willing to sacrifice their careers for child rearing. Of course, she would still need to keep her skills sharp as matriarch, and she would still have opportunities to take missions on occasion, but they would not be nearly as often.

So, she sighed softly. "Very well, Sakura-chan. If you insist," Mikoto relented calmly. "Let me know when you finish, because I still need to make the shiruko."

She stepped from the counter in surrender. On her way out the door, she could not help the teasing, devilish grin that graced her feminine lips. "Oh, and Itachi-chan? Be good, okay? Sasuke-chan has already made his complaints known, and I don't want to have to scold you two for doing something inappropriate."

Sakura wanted to scream.

* * *

AN: I'm thinking...lemon next chapter? Maybe. I don't know yet. But let me tell you, it took a lot to get this chapter out. The keyboard on my laptop was malfunctioning, so I had to go to the apple store for them to look at. Thankfully, they were kind enough to replace the keyboard right then (and for free! My wallet is happy!), and I could go home after a torturous hour of sitting at the genius bar. But I still love owning a mac. :D

As always, much thanks for the reviews! :) The feedback is helpful, and I love to hear what you guys think about my fic.


	19. Lust, Among Other Things

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Yet.

* * *

_Your body, it taunts me;_

_Your flesh is, oh, so haunting._

* * *

Much to Itachi's chagrin, and amusement, she was ignoring him, and doing a rather good job of it. She had his respect for that, since he could be extremely imposing when he wanted to be, and usually did a very good job of demanding attention, however rare it was when he required it. She kept her back to him though, steaming the yellowtail fillets to perfection, even though it must have been unnerving to have someone, him in particular, staring at her from behind as she did so.

Watching as she then started to dice the daikon into thick disks, Itachi gracefully leapt onto the counter, wondering if she would scold him as his mother often did in such cases. She appeared, by her fixed expression, to be determined to pretend he was not there however, and he knew what had triggered the reaction. It was hardly _his _fault that his mother so enjoyed seeing discomfort, when his father could hardly manage to keep his wife out of trouble. He should have been glad that she had not said anything the moment they walked through the door, because despite his warning, she would do as she wished.

Sakura really had no idea how deeply insanity ran in his family, but she would be quick to learn, of that he was certain. Whether the lack of their mental facilities would merely force her away or not, was left to be determined. So far, she did not look as if she wanted to be anywhere else than in the main Uchiha household kitchen, though she did look angered by his mother's words. He was not at all surprised by anything so far, and by the end of the night, Itachi suspected she would have seen, and heard, much worse.

She looked quiet adorable in his mother's apron though and he was pleased by the fact she was not completely unaffected by his weighty attentions. A pink flush warmed her pale cheeks delicately, and _he, _the master of self-control, was sorely tempted to reach over and kiss her silly. She had a knife though, and Itachi knew better than to pester a woman when she was armed. While she could never possibly injure him, he preferred to avoid a dangerous situation when possible.

So he watched as she moved on to thinly slice the ginger root, having just put the daikon into a large pan with water covering it. She was deep in concentration with the ginger, probably not wanting to serve something poorly cooked to his family, even if they both knew she was quite skilled in the kitchen. He waited as she placed the ginger and yellowtail into the pan as well, and set down the knife in the sink to be cleaned, before hopping down from the counter. She still managed to disregard his presence as she watched the dish simmer, and though he was a patient man, Itachi had his limits.

With one smooth, sweeping action, he brushed her hair out of her face and away from the slender curve of her slender neck. He felt the muscles of her back tense as he wound a strong arm around her waist, pulling her into his torso before latching his mouth onto the soft, sweet smelling skin of her neck. Though still annoyed with him, Sakura could not help being pleased by his easy affections, and attempted to muffle her gasp at the unexpected contact. He appeared to be completely unconcerned by the thought of someone interrupting them, but _she _was.

It was bad enough that Sasuke had run into them making out by the front door, but she could only imagine how horrible it would be if his father saw this intimacy in the middle of the kitchen. What would his mother say then? Sakura did not want to know. Something had to be done to stop him, even if his attention was wholly welcomed, and she wanted nothing more but to return them.

Sakura shivered slightly against his larger, warm form. "Itachi," she mumbled, trying to not sound too pleased by his passionate onslaught on her neck. "We can't be doing this, especially not here. What if your father saw us?"

He seemed to hum in thought at this premonition, his lips parting as he began to suck in earnest. Much to her frustration, he continued his ministrations, eliciting barely contained whimpers from her as his soft, moist lips gradually moved to the sensitive spot just bellow her ear. He lifted his mouth slowly, his breath fanning her neck in hot waves, before he slowly whispered back, "What, indeed?"

His arms tightened around her slightly as his lips gently closed around the lobe of her ear, earning another shaky gasp from her. "I'm serious, Itachi!" She groaned, her own hands resting above his. "You said that you're parents wouldn't talk about..._certain things, _and your mother brought it up already! I don't want to do something that will make that worse."

Just as she had been so childishly doing before he decided to assault her with his affections, Itachi ignored her. Sakura should have known how he would react to her utter neglect of his presence, but was surprised when quickly spun her around, dropping down to her level, and meeting her lips frantically. Despite herself, Sakura reached her arms around his neck, bringing him closer.

Realizing just what he was doing after a heated moment, she pulled away to try again. "Itachi, I'm going to burn the buri daikon, and it'll be all your fault," Sakura grumbled. His eyebrows lifted as he smirked down at her in amusement, and as if to counter her excuse, he reached over, turning the stove's dial off with a telltale click. She glared up at the exasperating man, silently thinking of different ways she could deter him.

Unfortunately, she could think of nothing that would serve her purpose without embarrassing herself. He hoisted her onto the counter, hands resting possessively on her hips as he stood in the vacancy between her legs. Greedily, he pulled her closer. His kisses, fleeting and hurried, only pressured her into melting against him, her hands somehow finding their place in his long, silky hair. Though enjoying herself, she was still annoyed with the man so committed to exposing her to ridicule in front of his parents, and hoped that his damned perfect hair would look messy for them.

Itachi was quick to decide that the way she was scraping her blunt nails into his scalp was much more enticing than it should have been. Almost helpless to the pleasure of hearing her soft panting, he pushed her back down onto the flat counter space, insistently he worked on the red mark he had put on her neck earlier. As his body lingered over hers, she found her hands exploring with careful caresses, stroking his shoulders and back as he pressed them closer still.

There was a disapproving huff that broke them apart almost suddenly. As Sakura had feared, Uchiha Fugaku stood in the doorway, with all the appearances that he had just returned from the Police Headquarters, and had simply wanted to go home to relax. Sakura blushed bright crimson, before she glared up at Itachi, who had the most smug, proud expression she had ever seen, as if he had just accomplished something.

She did not like it. Not one bit.

* * *

Sakura kept her lips pursed. Sasuke sat across from her and Itachi, glaring at both of them with no restraint, while Fugaku and Mikoto sat at the ends of the table. She was annoyed, and to say otherwise would have been lying. Her teammate refused to speak to her, after catching her and his older brother at the front door, and Fugaku looked just as perturbed, after seeing them in the kitchen not twenty minutes later. Mikoto appeared to be pleased, however, and simply was content with the silence.

As irritated as she was with him, Sakura was thankful Itachi held her hand under the table, his comfort much needed, using his chopsticks with his left hand to do so. If he was bothered by his brother or father, he did not show it. Sakura silently took a bite of rice, waiting for someone to speak. She refused to be the first to say something, even though she was slightly discomforted by the atmosphere that had settled over the table.

She quietly glanced over at Mikoto, who had just taken a delicate bite of yellowtail, and waited. If anyone was going to speak first, it would be the Uchiha matriarch. As Sakura suspected Mikoto gave a small smile at last. "It seems that Itachi-chan was telling the truth. Your culinary skills are exquisite, Sakura-chan." She sighed in a tone of defeat.

At this, Sakura had to shake her head. "Itachi had to have been exaggerating," She replied softly, squeezing his hand bellow the table. "You will always be much more proficient in the kitchen than I am, and there can be no denying it." Sakura complimented as Itachi's hand clenched hers back gently. She shot him a small warning glance, as if to tell him to stop bragging about her cooking around his mother.

He did not heed her subtle warning. "I was not exaggerating at all, Sakura," he murmured quietly, much to her embarrassment.

Sasuke looked like he wanted to throw up, having to sit across from his engrossed older brother and flustered teammate. He said nothing though, keeping his head down while they shared a look. No one had told him that his kunoichi teammate would be staying for dinner beforehand, and if he had known, he would have definitely taken Naruto up on his offer to eat at Ichiraku. Ramen would have been preferable to seeing one of his best friends make sentimental, mushy faces with his detested elder brother.

Even if Sakura had asked him and Naruto to accept her relationship with Itachi, Sasuke still had difficulty seeing it. The fact his mother was very clearly encouraging his brother only bothered him more, and his father did nothing to stop his wife, so he must have approved to a certain extent, of their growing relationship. Sasuke did not like it one bit, though, and he was not going to show any sort of approval, even if they were not looking for it.

Sakura huffed, rolling her eyes affectionately. "Knock it off, Itachi. Need I remind you that the first time you ate my cooking, I had to force it down your throat?" She muttered, though she may as well have spoken aloud, because everyone at the table heard perfectly. Fugaku gave his son a pointed look, but let Mikoto speak instead, knowing she would be more interested in the matter.

Sasuke just looked sick, and was still sulking.

"Itachi-chan, how could you be so rude to a woman? I'm sure Sakura-chan's cooking had been perfectly fine." Mikoto frowned, disappointed of her son's lack of manners. She had thought she had trained her sons better, and hated to see otherwise.

Sakura, however, laughed. "It was actually quite funny. He was so shocked when I suddenly had slipped food into his mouth, and I think he was pissed off at me for the rest of our mission after that."

"Yes, it was _hilarious," _Itachi grumbled, peevishly picking at his small serving of pickles. "It was even _more _amusing when you decided to be insulted when I tried to be a gentleman and offered you your own room, and when you accused me of cheating at shogi. Quite funny, indeed."

Fugaku could not deny the fact he was startled by what his eldest son had just said. While it was shocking in itself that Itachi had felt it necessary to share more about the mishaps of their mission, he had never heard his son speak so openly before. He eyed Itachi for a moment, and then the petite kunoichi at his side. After the council meeting, he had given Itachi something of an ultimatum, and had, for the most part, been assuming that his son would never reach the deadline of two years. Now he was beginning to doubt his own assumptions, something he but rarely did.

Haruno Sakura was a generally pleasant sort of woman, a renowned kunoichi for her especially brutal fighting style, and a talented medic-nin to say the least. It was said her abilities to manipulate chakra had always succeeded his son's, long before she trained in medical ninjutsu. Politically, she had a cozy position as the Godaime's apprentice, and was relatively close with the current Kazekage, because of her blond teammate. She had a backbone, at least, to force-feed his son, and while he had never seriously considered that his son would truly settle with her, he could see it very easily.

He had always thought Itachi would eventually grow bored of wooing the pink-haired kunoichi, and from there Fugaku would have to pick things up, finding a suitable wife and having his son wed her. Now, it appeared that he would have to do no such thing, because it was clear their courtship was going extremely well. At least, if what he had witnessed in the kitchen an hour previous was anything to go by. Fugaku almost had to wonder what he would do with all his free time, now knowing he would not have to focus so much on Itachi.

His eyes then shifted over to Sasuke. Well, he did have another son to pester.

"You're such a spoilsport, Itachi," Sakura grinned. "Besides, Shikamaru only complained every other hour, so I can't have been too bad, though he was probably wishing you had offered _him _the free room."

Itachi decided it best to not respond to this comment, knowing where it would eventually lead. Someone would say that _they _would have had to share the same room, in that case, and though both he and Sakura were capable of being professional, the conversation would undoubtedly have become awkward beyond reason. So, he stopped it there. "Well, anyway, you are quite accomplished in the kitchen, Sakura, and I don't want to hear you to say otherwise."

Abruptly, Sasuke stood. "Naruto has a solo mission tomorrow," he said, addressing Sakura, "so we were going to meet early to train."

She nodded slowly, watching in bewilderment as he sullenly exited the room. It was apparent he could not stand to see his brother and teammate even sitting together. Some of the tension lessened as he left however, so Sakura was not too upset that her teammate had decided to jump ship. Even Itachi seemed to relax marginally, his thumb gently rubbing into her hand as she slowly bit into her yellowtail.

Sakura could not help subtly smiling up at him when his parents were not looking. She had predicted much worse than what she had experienced thus far, but was still thankful for his being there. It was much more comforting to have him at her side than she would have supposed, and he was surprisingly calm, all considering. Of course, he had been ridiculously at ease when announcing the fact he was courting her to her parents, so this could not have been nearly as hard for him to handle.

It was only once Sasuke was out of hearing range, having closed himself up in his bedroom on the opposite side of the roomy estate, that Fugaku spoke at last, confident that his youngest son would have no interest in their conversation either way. "Sakura-san," he started quietly, setting down his chopsticks, having finished his meal. "I am going to assume that my son went into more detail about our clan affairs after what you heard in the council meeting."

Sakura bit her lip nervously, not having suspected Fugaku would bring up what had to have been an equally uncomfortable conversation for him as it was for her. She would not lie to him, however. "Yes, Uchiha-san," she murmured. "Itachi did explain to me what happened ten years ago, and what his involvement was in that incident."

Fugaku nodded his head expectantly. "Then you understand, Sakura-san, that it is of great importance that this knowledge not be shared with anyone, including your teammates."

While Sakura felt that Sasuke had the right to know about what could have happened to his family, and by his own brother nonetheless, she knew her place. It would be inappropriate for her to share a secret that was not hers to begin with, no matter what the circumstances. If the Uchiha clan saw it fit to keep what would have been a traitorous move on their part a secret, then far be it from her to say otherwise. Ultimately, it was not her decision, and she was very much aware of this. She was glad Itachi had been willing to speak to her about something so potentially sensitive, considering his involvement.

The mere thought that Itachi could have been forced into becoming a mass-murderer for the sake of Konoha-_Itachi, an utter pacifist_-still made her shiver with horror. She was glad beyond reason that he had not committed such an odious crime, for their joint well-being.

"I will not speak to anyone, least of all Naruto and Sasuke, about what almost happened a decade ago. You have my word, Uchiha-san."

Satisfied, he scrutinized the kunoichi for a moment, before inclining his head slightly with approval. "Very well, Sakura-san. Though Itachi has mentioned before your coming here that you would not be particularly comfortable with my referring to impending marriage and any to have to do with his heir, I see it necessary to remind you that at some point, if _this _continues, you will have to deal with clan issues with as matriarch." His tone was condescending and sardonic, as if he were speaking to a child, rather than a full-fledged kunoichi that could probably give him a run for his money.

Itachi thought she held her tongue remarkably well, considering the fact his father had just disregarded her feelings on the matter, and had patronized her for having little familiarity with clan protocol.

"Thank you for your consideration, Uchiha-san," Sakura stated levelly, meeting his stony gaze. "I am capable of being discreet."

Itachi looked at her calm expression with pride. It took massive amounts of self-control to handle his father, he knew from personal experience, and for a moment he had to wonder why she never bothered to show that around him. He had to consider that naturally, if she had shown such passiveness in front of _him, _he probably would never have been so attracted to her. It would have just made her like every other girl in the village.

What surprised Itachi was how his father was taking this, since he was likely to be aware of her spitfire attitude. Fugaku was slightly pleased however, by the kunoichi's coy reactions. Though he was still not certain about someone in the family having _pink _hair, he supposed it could have been worse. His son could have brought an incompetent, utterly ignorant civilian back home to meet the family.

"If that is settled, Mikoto, you may speak with Sakura-san about certain _duties _while you have the opportunity."

Sakura's cheeks burned, and she sent Itachi a glare. He had warned his parents of the subjects she wished to avoid, but it was apparent they would do as they wished, regardless of how she felt. Much to Sakura's aggravation, he only gave a subtle, apologetic glance in return. Nervously, she clenched his hand under the table, to the point of discomfort.

Mikoto patted Sakura on the arm in a reassuring fashion. "You have no need to be so embarrassed, Sakura-chan," she said softly. "Sex is just a natural part of life. As a woman, having the ability to carry and nurture a child is a beautiful thing. While part of me wishes Itachi-chan could have waited to reach that level of intimacy with you, I won't deny that it is rare nowadays for a woman to-

Sakura released Itachi's hand to raise both of her own in surrender. "Mikoto-san, please," she tried to interrupt, though the Uchiha matriarch would not be deterred.

"Hear me out, Sakura-chan," Mikoto said firmly. "Itachi-chan will need an heir before he can be named head of this clan, and though having a child out of wedlock is not advisable, I'm sure you already know how I feel about grandchildren, and I will, by no means, ask either of you to use contraception, if you are prepared for-

Itachi gently untangled Sakura's hands from her hair, as she had buried her face in her hands to hide her red face. She gave him a pleading look, which was thoroughly ignored by Mikoto. He sighed, deciding to spare his disconcerted _girlfriend, _for lack of a better word.

"Okaa-san," he quietly uttered, "Sakura and I have not had sex."

The room very suddenly became quiet. Sakura busied herself with straightening her vest, her cheeks still clearly flushed, even though there were hardly any wrinkles to be seen, while both of his parents stared at them in awe. For all her mental preparation, Sakura could not speak a word for the life of her. She had not thought that Itachi would be so frank with his parents, and was not yet certain if she was pleased by it or not. At that point, she just wanted out.

"Oh," Mikoto exhaled slowly. "I thought for sure that-

"We are in no rush." Itachi stated promptly, curling candy-floss hair behind Sakura's ear. Sakura tried to comprehend the look he was giving her. "This conversation may be more appropriate if Sakura and I decide to further our intimacy, but not before it," he continued blandly, his fingers grazing the skin of her arm in a caress as he dropped his hand back to his side. Sakura grabbed it again immediately, much to his amusement.

"If you say so, Itachi-chan," his mother sighed, before grinning. "If that's settled then, who wants shiruko?"

* * *

"That was not what I expected," she said, the moment she and Itachi had made it out the door. After much insistence, and a not-so-subtle series of winks, Mikoto had gotten her elder son to walk her home, even though he would have done so otherwise. Sakura curled an arm around his, somewhat surprised when his sharp, aristocratic nose ran along her jawline.

His voice was velvet to her ears. "I'll have you know that I did tell them not to talk about those things." Itachi replied calmly, walking her out of the compound at a comfortable pace.

She was astonishingly understanding about the situation however, and gave a soft laugh. "I don't blame you for what they said, Itachi, and I don't blame your parents either. While it was rather unpleasant, they were only being realistic. At some point, you _will _have to produce an heir, whether it's with me, or another woman." Sakura stated, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. He gave her a hopeless look.

Itachi dared not be honest with her. While she was uncertain of his feelings, Itachi already had concluded that he would bind her to him, in every humanly way possible. There was no other woman, nor would there ever be, that could bear him a child, when all he wanted was _her. _These feelings were bordering on irrational he realized, but the thought of being with a woman besides Sakura tied his stomach in knots, and one day soon, he hoped to share such feelings with her. He wanted her to know how much she appealed to him, and hoped she had similar feelings for him.

"As long as you don't feel alarmed by what they said," he answered gruffly, not knowing what else he really _could _say.

Sakura laughed, however, purposely bumping her hip with his. "Of course that freaked me out," she teased knowingly. "I was afraid that I was going to start turning purple, with all the blushing."

He chuckled lightly, pressing his lips to her forehead, before taking her the rest of the way to her small flat in an easy silence. He could tell that though the turn of events had taken her by surprise, Sakura had not been particularly disturbed by it. Itachi found this idea to be rather welcoming.

* * *

There they stood. Awkwardly.

Sakura was not the sort to fiddle with her keys nervously, but Mikoto's speech had left something of an impression on her. _Sex is just a natural part of life. _As a medic, she should have been more professional about it. Itachi was a man, and she was a woman. It was instinctive that she contemplate having sexual relations with him. It did not make her a pervert. She felt like one, though, because all she could picture was that dream she had of her and Itachi on that beach, the moon shining brightly, the sand between their toes, and their bodies perfectly bare.

She longed for that, to break down the only standing wall between them. He had told his mother they were in no rush, though. Did that mean he was not interested? That he was not ready for sex? Sakura did not know.

Her eyes fluttered up to his, trying to understand what _he _was thinking. His gaze was warm but reserved, making it impossible to read his thoughts. Tentatively, she grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him closer. Anticipating her move, he kissed her sweetly, and Sakura forced herself to just feel, rather than think, to feel his gentle touch as his arms found their place around her, as his body surrounded hers with a warmth no other man could conceivably possess, his scent making her head swim.

Sakura knew she was not as difficult for him to read as it was for her to read him, but found herself not caring as her back crashed against her front door, his lips urgent and searing against her sensitive skin. He was there, and he was _hers, _and that was all that seemed to matter. The fact her elderly, civilian neighbor could see them as she took out the cat for the night did not bother her. Not when she had Itachi.

Somehow, his mouth found its way back to where he had been so diligently working, the skin already obnoxiously red. She moaned to herself as he insistently sucked on the spot again, as if to be sure he did a complete job in marking her. Sakura had a difficult time keeping herself in a standing position, her legs failing her horribly with the onslaught of affection, and practically turning into jelly. All the while, his hands were moving, learning every part of her body as she melted into him, only just able to stay standing because of her leverage against the door. He was unbothered, and would not be stopped.

While she had somewhat been able to maintain control of herself as he kissed her silly, when a large, warm hand suddenly smoothed itself over her flat stomach and stopping to cup a rounded breast, composure was the last thing on her mind. A pleasured gasp tore through her, and vibrant, green eyes flashed up to meet Sharingan, spinning lazily as he memorized every movement of her body. She knew then that whatever restraint Itachi had was long gone.

Something unfamiliar flowed through her body, gyrating in her abdomen at his shockingly passionate expression. He looked down at her with a certain resolve she had never seen in him before, and it was clear he knew what he was doing. That he had meant to grope her. That he intended to do more than just that, by the time he was through. His lips dove down to devour her again, thoroughly distracting her as he took the keys and unlocked the front door.

Her legs weak, they stumbled into her apartment, and Itachi quickly slammed the door shut again before gripping the small female, preventing her from falling. She panted softly, and he kissed her to the point of breathlessness, allowing her a moment to breathe before stealing her lips again. Her mouth was warm and moist, and his tongue slowly ran over each of her teeth before gliding against hers. Her sudden whimpers ignited new desperation in him.

He tried to think rationally. He had just told his parents that they would not hurry to reach the next stage of their relationship, and he still did not want to force Sakura into something she was ill prepared for. His body knew what it wanted however, and for the moment, that was _her. _Itachi ached to have her, to touch her as no other man had before, and to hear her voice call his name in the height of passion. She belonged to him and no other, and he wanted to be able to burn himself into her.

Itachi tried to clear his mind, but to no avail. His pants suddenly were intolerably tight and he growled against her swollen lips. He knew better than to fight the sensations ruling his body, and quickly reached a conclusion. Itachi would continue with his instincts, and the only thing that could possibly curb his actions was Sakura's unwillingness to carry on. With how she was reacting to his touch, he was under the impression that she would not want to stop him, should he further their familiarity to a sexual level.

He gathered her in his arms, pulling the small woman off her feet so she had no choice but to straddle him to stay balanced. Her responding moan to the contact of their clothed sexes giving him the feeling of intoxication. Perhaps he _was _drunk; off her, that is.

Sakura could not believe how unbearably hot and _hard _he was, and there was a new sense of need rising in her, knitting her closer to him than before. She would not deny that she was nervous, but she seemed to move without thought, as if her body knew what to do, regardless of her mind's anxiety. She was not accustomed to having a man so near to her, and the thought that it was very likely he was not going to stop this time around, that he would really take her virginity did scare her. This was Itachi though, and like everything else with her, Sakura knew he would be gentle. She trusted him, and that was why she wanted to give him her purity, because she wished to feel the security, and dare she think it, _love _that caused the physical uniting of a man and woman.

Slowly she shifted her hips, clenching her thighs to bring him even closer, and gasping at the feel of his erection against her dressed body, his heat making her dizzy. Sharp pangs of desire shot through her lower stomach, and she repeated her first action deliberately, the pleasure it gave exhilarating to her inexperienced body. Her chest heaving with excitement, she met her gaze, his Sharingan deepening in color as lust flooded his vision.

Her form, so soft and delicate, danced lithely against his arousal, causing his muscles to constrict under the pleasure she bestowed. Eyes narrowing slightly, he held her beautiful figure still, hands clenching her hips painfully as he ground back into her, pleased by the groans that slipped through her pouting, red lips. His hands moved to her backside, and he pressed himself even closer to her center. She scarcely had time to think before he had moved them to the back of her apartment, where her bedroom was located.

Sakura let out a shaky sigh as she felt herself land amongst her sheets and pillows, his larger form coming down on top of her. She bit her lip when he used his knee to part her legs, and settled between them. He hovered above her for a moment, just admiring her, before the static grating of metal graced her ears. Cold air hit her upper body as she realized he had unzipped her vest, and was in the process of removing it, along with the bindings around her breasts.

Again, he lingered, scrutinizing her bare top for a moment, as if he was indecisive. Sakura flushed at his intense look, and was hardly prepared for it when his mouth closed around a taut nipple. Her breath hitched as his tongue swirled around the sensitive areola, and then as it just barely flicked the tip of her bud, causing her to squirm with pleasure beneath him. Itachi grunted softly as her body rubbed against his arousal, his mouth vibrating slightly on her skin.

Sakura combed her fingers through his neat hair impatiently, holding him tightly as he suckled her, untying it in the process. Blunt nails scraped against his stomach as she pushed the fabric of his shirt above his head, and while in all rights this should have been painful, Itachi found himself instead being more tempted by her. She paused though, and though it was brief, he could sense nervousness in her. While aroused, she was still a young, virginal woman. He understood that there was often pain involved in the first time a woman joined a man, so it was natural that she be somewhat hesitant.

She smiled softly though, as if to say that she knew he would never hurt her, lifting herself up to rest on her elbows so she could kiss him. He reacted favorably, lowering them both back down against the bed, his lips massaging hers with fervor. It was not long before he had reduced her to a puddle of moaning desire, with his persuasive mouth and hands. Sakura's eyes fluttered shut as his hand drifted at a painfully slow rate, her eyebrows scrunched together in frustration as he kneaded his fingers into her thigh, _so achingly close _that she was throbbing, crying out for him to touch the burning region he was purposely avoiding, as if he knew her agony.

Exasperated, and hoping it would convince him to extinguish the fire between her legs, she steadily rocked her hips into his, his own heat making her mind blank. He stuttered a growl of amazement, startled by how wonderful it felt when he ground his arousal back into her. It was the first time he had ever been at a loss for words, but as he continued, Itachi found that speaking could not compare, could not express just how he felt.

Therefore, he was distressed when her small, feminine hands pressed into his chest. Faintly, he sat up, disappointed that she had no wish to go further. He would not pressure her though, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her by using force. She smirked at him though, sitting up and pushing him onto his back. He watched speechlessly as she tugged her skirt and spandex shorts off, leaving only a black pair of clean, no-frills panties.

Satisfied with herself, she plopped herself onto his lap roughly, making him grunt before she swiveled her round bottom into his crotch impatiently. Itachi gripped her hips as she swayed, eyes transfixed by the way her breasts heaved with each gulp of air, and how her tongue stuck out slightly, a row of straight, perfect teeth biting down slightly. Then the scent of her arousal assaulted his senses, and he could scarcely remember his own name, let alone tame his urges.

The adorable panties were suddenly ripped off her, and she was completely naked for his perusal. He quietly studied the center of her legs, pleased by the sight of her quivering, moist flesh protected by a small thatch of curly, dark hairs. Content with his vantage point, Itachi parted her legs more fully, her arousal seeping down her thighs and soaking into his pants. Meeting her shocked gaze confidently, his hand reached to slowly stroke her.

She moaned, angling her hips to bring his fingers, and relief, closer. Not breaking eye-contact, he slid a single finger into her core, her wet folds pulling him in to the knuckle. Her muscles clenched around his long, slender finger for a moment, as if her body was not yet sure if she wanted to reject the unfamiliar intrusion, or keep it there indefinitely. He added a second finger then, and watched as her head threw back to let out a series of throaty moans. Itachi's gaze then went to see how her untouched core stretched around his fingers.

Eyes half lidded and hazed over by lust, he observed how she restlessly tried to pivot around his fingers, in search of a friction he had yet to award her. She mewled as he plunged a third finger into her center, jostling slightly with surprise and rubbing against his hard-on. Deciding to test her patience, he kept his fingers still within her body, instead moving his thumb up between her slick tissue and prodding to find the small bundle of nerve endings that would set her aflame.

He tweaked her button, satisfied by the cries she gave with the bombardment of pleasure. Her body began to tighten further around his fingers, uncertain of how to react to their presence, until he slowly withdrew them. Much to her surprise, he swiftly pushed them back in, the friction she had longed for not as satisfying as she had supposed it would be. She reeled her hips against his hand, moaning as he ceaselessly assaulted her with his fingers, pumping in and out.

It happened so fast, Sakura hardly knew how to react, before her body was answering to the pleasure for her. It fluttered in her womb, before roaring through the rest of her, and she shook against him, her back arching and entire form clasping his hand as she wailed. It was only after the fact Sakura realized he had made her orgasm, and her flesh was so sensitive it made her shiver and gasp when his fingers loosened her again.

"Itachi," she uttered, "I...I think I just..."

"You did," he confirmed, his voice rumbling in his chest and making her twitch slightly with anticipation.

Trembling as he tilted his hips, she twisted at the feel of how unbelievably hot and hard he was. Sakura was not sure she would be able to handle more, if she could hardly maintain herself when he had only used his fingers. Liquids from her first climax soaked into his pants, making the contact even more raw. It was only a moment later that Sakura was on her back again, and she watched as he popped the button of his pants open, and the final barrier between them was removed.

A cry of delight emitted between her lips as his larger body covered hers entirely, and his lips latched onto hers smoothly. It took him a moment to coax her legs apart again so he could settle between them. Sakura turned her face away and bit her lip abusively as he inched himself deep into her. There was no real pain, not that she had truly expected any after a life of action, and having every muscle in her body torn at least once.

Rather, she felt unusually full, and was not quite certain how to act because of it. His breath was harsh on her skin as he wrapped two arms around her lower back, angling her downwards on his shaft in a way that granted them both unimaginable pleasure. Not wanting to rush, he allowed her to adjust to being filled by him, before moving at an agonizing pace of unhurried thrusts. Sakura reminded herself that she did not need to think about what she was supposed to do, and resolved to just feel.

Finally, she turned to him again, her eyes bright as she met his gaze. In that moment, it struck her, how beautiful it was to be so intimately connected with a man. She was giving him something she had never given someone before, and she would never be able to offer it to another man. Though as he lowered his mouth to hers again, grunting and panting with her as he gave tender, openmouthed kisses that had potency to drug her, Sakura was certain there was no other man she would ever want to offer herself to. It was just him, and she was content with that.

It struck her then, what this meant. It made her want to laugh and cry and scream and dance all at once, for all her conflicting thoughts. She dared not voice her realization. She was in love with him. _So _desperately in love with him.

Sakura pulled him even closer, her blunt nails digging into his back as he began to move in earnest, making fast, deep-seated thrusts into her. Breathless and overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings, she squeezed his shoulder tightly, gasping for air when their lips parted. Words could not describe the yearning she had for him, even when she had him so perfectly united with her.

Her body was slick against his with their combined sweat, and the same feeling as before crept closer, coiling in her womb as he, quite literally, pounded into her soft, pliable body. Desperately, she rocked with him, until she reached the end, her back arching elegantly and her moist, feminine walls clamping down on his rigid length with a sharp, high-pitched scream, the waves of her second orgasm much more powerful than her first.

Itachi growled, admiring the small female in his arms as she reached her peak. The way her muscles closed down on him was beyond something he could handle, and very suddenly, he felt his own release rush through him, and he held himself deep within as he filled her with his essence. Bonelessly, he threw himself down beside her, keeping their bodies connected. Time meant nothing as he caught his breath, and listened to her soft panting as well.

She had been a beautiful little mate, and as she started to drift, he tugged the sheets over them, pulling her against his bare form more completely. It had to have been one of the most wonderful experiences of his long, hard life, and it, for reasons he could not possibly understand, made everything he had suffered through worth the trouble.

Itachi could not have thought he would ever be happier, until she quietly yawned deliriously, more to herself than to him, _"I love you, Itachi."_

* * *

AN: As promised, here is the lemon! P: Hopefully it was worth reading...this chapter became much longer than what I planned.

Feedback is always appreciated! :)

**[Edit]**

So, apparently, this chapter had content in it that was similar to another ItaSaku fanfiction. I corrected it. I had no idea that I had written something like another author's work, and horrified by the thought, I actually went to reread the story that I had unwittingly copied. I had never intended to do such a thing, and in all honesty, I had completely forgotten about the fanfiction that several reviewers had mentioned, even though I had enjoyed it very much the first time reading it. I suppose I've just read so much fanfiction, it's hard to keep track of them all. So, I would like to apologize to those who were offended by my accidental use of another author's work. Hopefully, my corrections make up for that. :)


	20. Under The Skin

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Humph.

* * *

_When the days grow old and long and my skins turns into stone, I'll wait for you._

_When the pain it seems too much and my heart starts beating out of touch I don't need a thing, I'll wait for you._

* * *

Itachi gazed down at the woman as she peacefully slept in his arms. When he first met her years back in the training grounds, never would he have even dreamed he would fall for the scruffy little girl. Of course, she had transformed into a beautiful woman since that incident, but the thought she would confess to loving him never occurred to him as a thirteen year old boy. To imagine they would reach this point, where she would share a bed with him, and curl her nude form against his in sleep.

Itachi could not help finding it ironic that but hours before their lovemaking, he had told his parents they had not participated in such activities before. Of course, this had been said to avoid the awkward conversation his mother was about to start, and their relationship had been leading to their new found intimacy. He had the feeling Sakura still would prefer to not speak about their personal business with his mother, which he had to agree with her about. It was almost startling, to think how much had changed since his first meeting her.

She shifted slightly in his possessive hold, groaning in the early morning sunlight. He smirked to himself as she twisted away from the light to nuzzle her face into his bare chest, not ready to be awake yet. He wondered momentarily if he should admit his own feelings for her, or if it had become inappropriate to mention since he had not repeated his sentiments back to her immediately when she had muttered her own to him blearily the night before. Her warm breath tickled his neck and she grumbled incoherently.

Chuckling, he smoothed her hair away from her face, pressing his lips to her ear as she roused further, her eyes cracking open drowsily.

"Good morning, Sakura," he murmured quietly as she smiled lazily up at him. Her hands smoothed over his pectorals, before reaching around his neck.

"Did you actually get any sleep last night?" She asked back in a rough voice, before clearing her throat. She was thankful to see him there in her bed, having been slightly afraid he would not stay for the morning. It would be obvious to his parents why he had not returned home the night previous, since they had seen them leave the Uchiha compound together. She knew she still not regret what had happened between them. She would cherish those hours spent in her bed for years to come, and nothing his parents said or did would change that.

His voice was soft when he answered her. "I might have, for an hour or two," Itachi commented lightly, "but I was too preoccupied looking at you. I had no idea that you moved around so much in your sleep."

Sakura blushed, moving to lay on her back.

Curiously, he stared down at her in the morning light, able to see much more of her with the new lighting. Her cheeks turned even more red when the inquisitive male stood, utterly unashamed of his nakedness, and opened the curtains to her window, letting the sunlight stream in completely. The difference of illumination in the small bedroom was breathtaking, compared to the night before, especially when the light hit her nude body. It was glorious, and Itachi could not believe he had not seen it before. Of course, stumbling around like a pair of hormonal teenagers in the dark of night had made it difficult to see much of anything.

Itachi could admit that he felt astounded by how gorgeous she looked then, her breasts rising and falling with each breath, and her shock of pink hair tangled over her pillow. Sakura had always been a beautiful woman, but it felt like he was only just beginning to realize that. Itachi felt suddenly as if he were ashamed of himself, for neglecting her in such a way.

She suddenly felt shy under his intense gaze, uncertain of what it could have meant. They had already slept together, and he had seen her naked the night before, so she could not understand what he found so interesting. His eyes were scraping along what he could see though, and seemed to burn a hole into the blankets that rested over her hips. She shifted slightly, resting up on her elbows.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked quietly as he maneuvered back over to the bed, and lifted all the blankets away. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, watching as he slowly eased onto the mattress next to her. "Itachi?"

A large hand rested on her hip, massaging the skin gently to relax her. "No, there's nothing wrong," he answered softly. "Just indulge me, for a moment," Itachi hummed. His hand grazed the skin of her abdomen, before he cupped a rounded breast, rolling a taut nipple between his fingers. Sakura bit her lips, eyes hazing over at his impassioned, fascinated expression. It was as if it was the first time he had ever seen her body, and as curious hands fluttered over her skin, Sakura had a hard time not reacting.

Itachi observed with interest as she moaned softly, her lithe body bending under his touch. She was so unbelievably feminine, with soft curves he had been much too excited and desperate to notice the night previous. He would never do such a thing again, and he intended to rectify his foolish mistake by worshiping her glorious body in the morning light, where he could see her properly.

* * *

There were many things that Sasuke could not stand for, most of which made no sense to either of his teammates. One thing Naruto could understand, however, was his lack of tolerance for tardiness. Having Hatake Kakashi as a sensei had given the members of Team Seven little patience, especially when meeting times were set early in the morning. As far as the three of them were concerned, there was no justification for being late, no matter how many excuses their pornography-loving sensei had managed to pull out of his ass.

Therefor, when twenty minutes of waiting for their kunoichi teammate had passed, neither shinobi intended to forgive the offense. Sakura would have to be dragged out of her apartment, if that was what it took for her to meet them at their favorite training grounds. Sasuke was frustrated even more so than Naruto, having told her the night before that they would be sparring earlier than usual. Clearly, their teammate had either forgotten, or disregarded them, neither boding well with the two males.

Naruto, having an even worse temper than Sasuke, was the first to storm up the steps to her apartment complex, in search of their missing teammate. Sasuke followed shortly after him, just as annoyed as Naruto that Sakura had deliberately ignored his mentioning of their need to meet earlier than usual, due to Naruto's solo mission. His blond friend was swift to reach her door and was hammering his fist on it well before Sasuke could reach the top of the stairs.

Therefor, it was too late to retreat when he sensed another chakra signature besides Sakura's within the apartment. He recognized the signature as soon as he had sensed it, having grown up in the same household as its owner. Horrified, Sasuke was tempted to rip Naruto from the front door and make a break for it, being able to predict his elder brother's ire should they interrupt him. He knew it was too late, however, because he could pick up the very light sounds inside the small flat of a creaking bed, followed by the soft padding of bare feet on wood. Though Naruto was not paying attention to their surroundings, Sasuke could tell by the heavier sound of steps, that the person approaching the door weighed more than Sakura did.

Grabbing the collar of his shirt, Sasuke wrenched his teammate back as the door swooped open violently, knowing that if Itachi was angry enough, he would lash out instantly, dealing with the disruption without fail. Naruto had opened his mouth, about to spew some nonsense about friendship, when he froze, equally appalled by the sight of Uchiha Itachi standing on the other side of their kunoichi teammate's threshold, wearing no more than a white sheet he was holding up around his narrow hips as Sasuke was. It was clear he had just ripped it from Sakura's bed, before approaching the door.

Both males of Team Seven, feeling rather scandalized by the obvious reason Itachi had not been wearing anything, stared up at the elder shinobi in disgust and outrage.

Naruto recovered from the shock first, and furiously pointed an accusing finger at the Uchiha heir. "What the hell are you doing here, Uchiha?" He shouted obnoxiously. "Sakura-chan better be okay, or I'll kill you!"

Sasuke gulped, wishing he had been blessed with a more observant, crafty teammate, because though his brother had looked frustrated upon opening the door, with a fierce glare for them both, he now had the most devious, wicked smirk on his face that he had ever seen. He was then afraid to know what Itachi had to say in response to Naruto's thoughtlessly made threat.

"She is quite fine, Naruto-kun," Itachi assured the younger man with a practically evil snicker. "In fact, I would say she's _wonderful. _However, I hardly see how my presence here is any of your business." He continued with a certain air of satisfaction that dredged up images that scarred Sasuke's mind. The younger Uchiha swallowed in revulsion.

Naruto growled, apparently having a stronger stomach than Sasuke had. "What the fuck did you do to her?"

Itachi's mirth increased with this question, but fortunately, much to Sasuke's relief, Sakura stumbled onto the scene, having anxiously pulled on clothes that were not likely her own. Her flushed, red face was an answer in itself, and how ruffled she looked by seeing her teammates. She pulled up a pair of black boxers Sasuke was certain he had seen before, and that were much too large for her slender hips, trying to prevent it from falling to her ankles. The shirt she adorned was on backwards, the tag sticking up at the base of her throat, and she giggled with embarrassment, attempting to downplay the awkward situation as she straightened her flurry of pink hair to cover her neck, and the throbbing, red marks on it.

A short silence followed her startling entrance, her teammates too sickened to utter a single word. Sakura looked mildly abashed by their sudden arrival, and felt even more distressed when meeting Itachi's haughty expression. She had no doubt of what his mind was so happily concentrated on; when her teammates were disposed of, he would continue what he had been so preoccupied with before their appearance. The thought of it made her face turn even more red.

Just as Naruto had knocked on the door, he had been busy arranging her limbs with fascination, preparing her for what could not have been anything but the infamous _doggy-style _position. She was well aware he would not be satisfied until he had taken her again, with how attentive he had been with his affections, exploring her body all over again with soft touches that turned her into a pool of desperation. Part of her was just as anxious as her lover to return to their previous activities, excited by the idea of the virile male assuming a position of control over her, dominating her completely with each propulsion into her from behind.

She was simply amazed by how capable he was of manipulating her body to reach unimaginable pleasures, but supposed it should not have been too surprised, despite his claim of having no experience. Itachi was an Uchiha, and if Sakura knew one thing about he and his clansmen, it was that they were naturally good at _everything. _Growing up with Sasuke as a teammate had taught her this much, having seen him excel at everything he tried, with little to no effort. Naturally, Itachi would be a sex god without trying to be.

Sakura decided that if she did not speak, no one would at all, and she was not willing to wait through the unbearable quiet that had settled. "I'm sorry, Naruto, Sasuke, that I forgot about meeting this morning," she mumbled, "but-

Itachi interrupted before she could finish her apology. _"But,"_ he repeated firmly, "we were in the middle of something," he stated frankly, much to Sakura's chagrin, "and I would very much like to finish that before releasing Sakura to spar with you two."

Both males stood in the doorway, mouths agape at how candid Itachi had just spoken to them, Sakura's own reaction not much different. While he was usually direct when speaking, especially about things he wanted, she had not expected him to state his longing so bluntly in front of them.

They retreated at that, knowing that Itachi was not going to surrender the kunoichi so easily, and that they would not get away with their lives (or sanity) if they tried to fight him for her. Sakura could tell that Naruto and Sasuke were going to express their displeasure to her later, when they were alone, but could do nothing before Itachi was shutting the door again, and leading her back into the bedroom.

She gulped dryly.

* * *

There were times when Sakura could honestly say she hated being a truthful, transparent sort of person. She was more than capable of lying in certain situations, such as on missions where it was required, but she preferred not to, especially to her friends and family. It simply was not the sort of person she was. She also hated how she seemed to be unable to flake on Ino, when all she wanted to do was run from her childhood friend, and keep the truth a secret from the gossip.

She had _promised, _though. Breaking promises nearly caused physical pain to the kunoichi. Ino had begged she return to the flower shop the day following her dinner at the Uchiha main household, so she could debrief her after such a traumatizing event, and Sakura had agreed. Never had she imagined that she would have sex with Itachi after assuring everyone that she had not, and if anyone would be able to tell without a doubt, it would be Ino.

Itachi had left her apartment with great regret after another session of lovemaking, looking slightly disappointed that he had shinobi duties to attend to. She had showered thereafter, scrubbing his scent from her skin, and cleaning whatever other evidence there was of their actions. She felt sore however, and while she could ease the twinge of pain with medical chakra, it did not completely erase the slight limp she walked with. At least she could take care of the marks he had made on her neck, with his sinfully delightful lips.

Sakura dressed herself and looked in the mirror. She could not tell any difference in how she looked physically, but it was as if she was suddenly aware of herself, as a woman. She was no longer a child, and she had a new sort of aura to her that proclaimed this. There was no hiding this change, and despite how discouraging it was for her to consider what Ino would say, Sakura could earnestly say she was happy, and the grin spreading across her face was a confirmation of it.

She was annoyed that Ino was going to pester her to no end, but she still could not keep the infectious smile from her face, after the intimacy and devotion Itachi had shared with her. It had been beautiful, and she was glad she had admitted her feelings for him, even if he had most likely thought her exhausted and half-asleep. She had still meant it, and while she wanted him to share similar sentiments with her, Sakura understood why he would have difficulty confessing.

Emotions were dangerous things, especially to shinobi of his caliber. When he became the Uchiha clan head, he would become an even bigger target for bounty hunters, and if she was his significant other, she, and whatever child they produced, would be targeted as well. Sakura would not have been surprised if Itachi had told her this was his sole reason for resisting his clan's wishes. So she would wait, and let him acknowledge his love when he was ready.

With a content sigh, Sakura stepped away from the mirror, leaving her apartment for the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Ino was anxious, by the time Sakura arrived, as if anticipating her to walk through the door at any moment. Amazingly, Sakura did not care if Ino could read her like a book, because there was no real reason in hiding her joy, as embarrassing as it was. She strutted right up to the cash register, hands on her hips expectantly.

Ino gave her a once-over, and blinked for a second. Just as she had predicted, her friend could easily tell what had happened. She smiled softly as Ino hastily untied her apron, throwing it to the side, and walked around the counter to inspect further. The blond kunoichi's eyes narrowed knowingly, before she smirked.

Sakura was thankful that Ino was kind enough to lead her outside the shop before starting her interrogation, not wanting her parents to overhear about her sexual life. When they had reached the bench across the street, however, Ino immediately sat her down, and began the onslaught of questions with no restraint. Sakura probably would have been disappointed, if she had not. It certainly was interesting, be the center of gossip in Konoha.

"Forehead, I can't believe you! Are you even trying to hide the fact you and Itachi fucked like a pair of animals?" She cried with disapproval. "I bet the entire world can tell already. What the hell kind of kunoichi are you, if you can't even conceal what you two did it last night? There's only so much I can do to keep the rumors from spreading!"

Sakura blushed, smoothing her skirt delicately. "If the rumors are going to spread now, it's because you're yelling for everyone to hear."

"Please tell me you two had the brains to at least use contraception. I don't think _anyone _is ready for a bunch of pink-haired Uchiha babies," she pleaded. While it sounded like Ino was joking, she new her friend was serious. If she did become impregnated, her entire relationship with Itachi would be rushed, and that was not something either of them wanted. She wanted to progress with him at a natural, relaxed pace.

Still, Sakura rolled her eyes at the overly dramatic kunoichi. "I'm a medic-nin, remember, Ino-pig? I can prevent pregnancy with my chakra. I'm not pregnant with any _pink-haired Uchiha babies, _and I won't ever be, unless my relationship with him becomes legalized. Don't worry about that."

While Ino looked skeptical, she accepted Sakura's statement. "Good. I'm not ready to be called _oba-san _by your bratty kids yet. You need to wait for me to find my own hunk first." She stated smartly, before laughing. "I bet your kids with Itachi will be totally fucked up."

Sakura glowered. "Well, at least I'll probably have kids!"

Ino continued to laugh. "Yeah; they'll have big foreheads, pink hair, crazy sharingan, and poles up their asses. I feel bad for the Uchiha clan already. They won't expect the insanity you're going to let loose on them, and they sure as hell won't know how to deal with whatever weird kid you manage to have."

Sakura huffed, crossing her arms. She knew Ino was simply teasing, but it was still insulting. She could only imagine what Itachi would have said, had he heard what Ino had predicted. Probably nothing at all. It would have annoyed Ino. She waited for the kunoichi to finish her fit of giggles, sitting up straight and refusing to meet her eyes.

Ino sighed, grinning devilishly. "So, are you going to give me the scoop? I want to know what it's like to get fucked by the almighty Uchiha heir."

Sakura's eyes widened. "I can't tell you about _that! _It's too personal."

Ino, however, ignored her comment. "I bet a hot man like him is good in bed. Can we name his penis now that you've slept with him, at least? I'm still voting for _python." _

"Ino!"

* * *

Battle was something easy to prepare for, as a shinobi village. Of course, only the ANBU elite would know about, and they would handle Danzo's pathetic troop of Root operatives before anyone else could touch them. Sakura was an exception, since she had been in the room when it had been discussed, but she would be a necessary component in the upcoming battle as well, as a medic-nin. After all, it was very likely that Akatsuki would end up joining in the fun.

Tsunade was not sure what that organization's purpose was, which was why she had Jiraiya out researching for Konoha, but she was certain that they had no grudge against her village. They likely to be a small group, and based in Ame, and this was the first incident where Konoha had even seen them. Before, they had hardly known of Akatsuki's existence. None of Konoha's missing-nin were members of the organization either, as far as she knew, so there was only one probable reason for them to be them to be teaming up with Danzo at all.

It was their next meal ticket.

Tsunade was capable of being a subjective woman, and though she was enraged that a group of missing-nin dared attack her home, she was also aware that it was only because they were hired to do so. She hated to think it, but Konoha was hardly different from their organization, as much as everyone preferred to think themselves better. They were all shinobi, and they simply did what they had to for funding. She, as Hokage, knew this more than most in her village.

While she knew better to bet on it, Tsunade hoped that if they could defeat Danzo quickly enough, Akatsuki would see no purpose in ambushing Konoha, since their pay check was destroyed.

Still, in the chance that Danzo was not defeated before their impending arrival, or they decided to attack despite his loss, she needed to be prepared. Certain teams would have to be prepared to deal with Akatsuki rather than Root, so she summoned both a tactician and an ANBU captain, for their insight. Uchiha Itachi was an obvious choice, since he had been in the council meeting, and was one of her most reliable captains. Nara Shikamaru was also quite dependable.

It was around noon when she summoned the two shinobi, and within ten minutes, they had both arrived. Apparently, Shikamaru had been lounging on top of the Hokage tower, cloud gazing, or he would never have made it in time. Tsunade had to pause when the Uchiha heir stalked in, however. Not only was he reeking of woman, she could tell instantly just _who _he had been with. She could hardly smell anything of the ANBU captain standing in front of her any more, but rather, the strong scent of her young apprentice.

There could be no doubt of what they had done, with the scent of their arousals wafting from his person. Tsunade stared at the particularly smug looking male, stunned by the thought of the man rolling around in a bed with Sakura. He probably had yet to bathe, she mused, taking in his _very _slightly rustled hair and how his clothing looked wrinkled, as if it had already been worn. If he was at all ashamed by his state, Itachi did not show it. Tsunade decided it was best to question him later (because that was _her _apprentice he was fucking around with, and Sakura was like a daughter to her).

She allowed Shikamaru to mutter how _troublesome _it was, before clearing her throat.

Tsunade was the sort of person to cut straight to the chase, and she did not let them wonder why they had been called in for very long. "Chances are very high that Konoha will be attacked during the New Year's festival, as you suspected, Uchiha," she stated bluntly. "Before that happens, we need to have this village prepared. I want the best ANBU teams ready for battle, and informed of how dire this mission will be."

Shikamaru was shocked by what he had just been told, but managed to recover smoothly. "Clearly, I need to be further briefed on what is happening, because Uchiha-san seems to already know. Who will be attacking Konoha during the festival?" He drawled, catching the small look shared between Hokage and ANBU.

Itachi nodded his head wordlessly, understanding her command without her having to voice it and closing his eyes in concentration. They fluttered open a moment later, and he sighed softly. "The seal is intact, Hokage-sama," Itachi murmured. "It is safe to speak."

"Thank you, Uchiha," she muttered back, before addressing the younger male. "What you are about to hear cannot leave this room. If word gets out that our village is in danger, it will be a catastrophe. You understand me, Nara?"

Shikamaru solemnly inclined his head in return. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

She seemed to be satisfied with the simple answer. "Shimura Danzo has commissioned an organization of missing-nin called Akatsuki to attack us. Though we don't know the date or time of this attack yet, Uchiha has inferred that it is likely he will use the New Year's festival as a cover." Tsunade said in response to his first question, before letting him process the information in silence

He filed away what he had been told. "Isn't Danzo one of the wrinkled up elders we have?" Shikamaru asked dryly. "Why would he want to attack Konoha?"

Tsunade barked a harsh laugh, despite the seriousness of the situation, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow with surprise, under the impression that he was somehow being made fun of, for ignorance. With a frown, he turned to the Uchiha beside him for explanation. He looked faintly amused by his question as well, but was in a good enough mood to answer it anyway. Shikamaru supposed he should thank Sakura later, as irritating as it was.

"Danzo is a very militaristic sort of man, and he has been after Tsunade-sama's position as Hokage for several years. We are lucky he has not acted before now." Itachi informed him quietly.

"So, Uchiha, Nara, what do you suggest?" Tsunade said at last.

Itachi was the first to answer. "There are some ANBU operatives that were once a part of Root. They cannot be trusted in this case, even if we are uncertain of their innocence, and we should keep them under heavy watch until this incident passes. We cannot allow them to give Danzo any tips, or this entire operation will fail, and he will succeed in staging a coup."

Tsunade bit her lip in thought. "Are you suggesting that we hold them in cells until after Danzo has made his stand?"

Itachi bowed his head slightly. "They should be held in our older cells, where it would be less likely for Danzo to notice. There should be a faction that he would not have access to."

She sighed, but agreed with the Uchiha heir. "Very well, Uchiha. I expect you to handle the ANBU members in question. Keep it quiet. I don't want anyone but those of us in this room to know of their being held."

There was a pause as Itachi thought again. "If Akatsuki is involved with this, a small squad of medic-nin will be needed. Root is something we can handle, but Akatsuki is another thing all together." He said in length, looking up at the Godaime for approval. He was not disappointed.

"I have already considered that, Uchiha. I'm assigning Sakura and a few chunin medics under her to join you. Shizune will be at the hospital, in case the worst happens." She replied, noting his anxious, concerned frown. It was obvious that he did not like the thought of Sakura being anywhere near the battlefield.

"She is a kunoichi, Uchiha." She stated knowingly. "We cannot allow your protectiveness to hinder our objective." Tsunade paused for a moment, before adding softly, "I trained her myself. She can handle it."

Itachi glared halfheartedly at the implication that had been made. He had confidence in Sakura, both as a medic and a kunoichi. Itachi knew she could handle being on the battlefield as lead to a squad of medics. She had killed an S-class criminal on her own, even if she had nearly died in the process. He just did not like the idea of her being there, for the possibility that she could get hurt. This was unrealistic, he realized, because as a kunoichi, it was natural that she be injured at some point, but he still did not want to see it.

He relented, however. "I know, Hokage-sama."

With that settled, Shikamaru caught their attention. "Hokage-sama, I believe that a few teams of jonin are necessary for this operation as well." He declared, not beyond her dubious look. "We are uncertain of Akatsuki's numbers, and if they are joined with Root, then victory cannot be guaranteed." He pointed out plainly. "Several ANBU operatives will be in cells as well, and while our numbers will still be strong against Akatsuki, we cannot possibly keep the Root from causing chaos in the village. Our jonin outnumber Root members two-to-one, and we would be able to protect civilians as well. If this _Danzo_ is the kind of warmonger I suspect him to be, I wouldn't be surprised if he ordered his operatives to attack villagers as well, if it meant he would be the victor."

Tsunade could not help being alarmed by this. "Danzo wouldn't have civilians killed. He needs their trust if he wants to be Hokage so badly."

Itachi's voice was scarily calm and hushed. "I think you know he would."

Shikamaru could sense that this was somewhat personal to Itachi, but said nothing, knowing better than to dig into the Uchiha's life. He would not have appreciated it.

"Besides," Shikamaru muttered, "Plenty of our jonin are already at ANBU level, or at least pretty close to it, and they would not be fighting so much as they would be protecting civilians. I don't think we have much of a choice."

Tsunade observed the young man before her desk, feeling a small sense of defeat. He was right, of course, and as his superior, she loathed to admit it. She was not exactly young anymore, even though she managed to look it, and with regret, Tsunade recognized that she, and what was left of her generation, was being surpassed. It was natural that the younger generations of shinobi grow more powerful than the ones before it, but in a strange way, it was painful to think it would not be long before she was replaced by someone younger. At the same time, it was something of a relief, that her job as Hokage was reaching a close.

She supposed she could wait a few years longer, before Naruto was properly prepared to take her place as Rokudaime Hokage, but it would not be long.

She sighed softly. "It should be our priority to protect to villagers," Tsunade stated at last. "I'm going to assume that you already had a few teams in mind when suggesting this to me."

He flashed an unexpected grin. "Well, of course."

* * *

About halfway through the torturously long meeting where she had two clan genii bouncing ideas off each other at an insane rate, Tsunade was daydreaming about the bottle of sake she had stowed away in a compartment of her desk, hidden from Shizune's watchful gaze. Within minutes, she decided to hell with it, because Shizune was not in the room to begin with, and therefore, would not be able to scold her for drinking alcohol while on duty. Itachi and Shikamaru hardly seemed to notice.

As the impromptu meeting came to a close, decisions were made about which teams would be doing what, and how informed they should all be of the impending coup. Panic was unwanted, and the thought that someone who was considered one of their elders could plan to destroy the peace they had worked so hard for would be considered disturbing to some. This was one of the many reasons why the would-have-been Uchiha massacre was kept under lock and key. No one, besides those involved, were to know of it.

When things had been concluded, Itachi released the seal he had made around the room to prevent their voices from traveling. He was satisfied with how things had gone, and in a sense, anticipated being able to prevent Danzo from staging his coup. He found it slightly ironic that the man who had once had an entire clan annihilated for planning to overthrow Konoha's government would do just that. Itachi did not consider himself a petty sort of man, and was not, by any means, someone to seek revenge after being wronged, but he looked forward to being able to get some sort of retribution for what had almost happened to him and his clan.

Tsunade shooed Shikamaru away with a wave of her hand and a swig of sake, but did not allow him to leave as well. Itachi found it rather predictable. He had been cornered by a messenger chunin on his way back to the Uchiha compound after leaving Sakura's apartment, and had not yet showered. He could only imagine what she must have thought when he walked in, covered with Sakura's scent. There was no question of what had transpired between them, not an hour before he strolled into her office.

The woman huffed. "So, Uchiha...I see you've been busy with my student."

His smirk was astonishingly sly. He would not deny the fact he was involved with her apprentice, when part of him wanted the entire world to know, so no other man could dare to think she was not otherwise claimed. Sakura was _his, _and Tsunade had every right to know it.

"I suppose you could say that," he answered in a velvety tone, regarding the Hokage as a hint of anger flashed in her golden, honey eyes. It was gone before he could blink.

"When did you plan to tell me that you were in a relationship with my darling, little apprentice?" Tsunade asked sarcastically.

Itachi contemplated this for a moment. "Right now."

She could not help laughing at his deliberate, honest answer. "You sure as hell better have a good excuse for taking so long to speak with me," she chuckled despite herself. "What are your intentions?"

Again, he was perfectly, brutally straightforward with her, much to her bewilderment. "I intend to make her my wife."

* * *

AN: Yes, I know this update was slow. I have a legitimate reason for it, though. My one month old cousin is in the hospital for having a stroke. He had to have brain surgery. Not exactly normal, every day crap going down. He's still on life support, and while he is beginning to improve, the doctors still aren't sure he's going to make it. I have faith that my baby cousin will live, but it's still a little scary.

As always, thank you for the feedback. Your comments and opinions are welcome and helpful for a learning writer like me! :)


	21. Insanity

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

_...before anything else, I would like to thank all of you who sent your prayers and warm thoughts out to my baby cousin. I'm happy to say that he is, though slowly, improving._

* * *

_Used to be, I could make the pieces fit; break the edges, force fit all of this._

_How could I ever be so wrong?_

* * *

With a small smile, Sakura walked up the steps to her childhood home.

"Tadaima!" She called cheerfully, pleased when there were two voices to respond with _okaerinasai. _Her mother was coping as well as could be expected, considering the loss of her child. Sakura grinned at her father, situated in the living room with the morning paper, as usual, before joining her mother in the kitchen. The smell of a cooking lunch taunted her senses, and her stomach grumbled. She had just finished with a training session with Naruto and Sasuke, and had only grabbed a bite to eat beforehand.

Itachi had kept her busy, confined to the bed with him. Not that she was complaining in the least. The man was insatiable, and Sakura had to wonder if his thirst for her would ever be quenched, with how desperately he sought satisfaction with her. Her longing for him was hardly different though, so she had no right to say anything to him, and his unmanageable appetite.

Her mother smiled hopefully. "I'm glad to see you, Sakura-chan," she said, stirring the pot of curry on the stovetop. She gave her a sly look. "How is Itachi-san?"

Sakura, who had just poured herself a glass of water, sputtered at the question, swallowing and choking with surprise. She was a kunoichi. She should have had a better rein over her emotions and facial expressions. The blush at her mother's inquiry only served to answer more than what had been asked. Sakura attempted to recover from her shock, setting the glass down before she dropped it accidently.

"He is doing fine, Okaa-san," Sakura mumbled back, still flushed. Not wanting her mother to have the chance to ask if grandchildren were on the way yet, she continued. "I went to the Uchiha compound to officially meet with his parents. I think we freaked out Sasuke."

Momoka nodded wisely, curling an arm around her daughter reassuringly. "I'm certain that Fugaku-san and Mikoto-san adore you. They _have _to, or something is wrong with them." She said, smoothing Sakura's pink locks out of her face. Her daughter sighed, oblivious to the fact she had a bright, red mark on her neck, betraying her earlier actions. Momoka snorted softly.

"Thank you for everything, Okaa-san," Sakura replied gently. "I don't know what I would do without you and Otou-san."

Momoka patted her shoulder, before returning to the pot. "You _should_ thank me. I'm not even going to ask you how long you've been having sex with him," she stated dryly, looking over her shoulder to catch Sakura's horrified expression. Sakura opened her mouth to contradict this accusation, but she quickly interrupted. "I may not be a kunoichi, but I'm not _blind, _so don't bother with denying it. I'm your mother, so you have nothing to be ashamed of with me."

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and looked out of the kitchen window in embarrassment. Her mother, however did not pause when not getting a response from her.

"I'm somewhat surprised it hadn't happened sooner, to be honest. Itachi-san seemed like a very forward sort of person to me, after what had happened in the hospital." Momoka laughed to herself. "You have to promise to tell me the very moment he proposes. I still want you to start working on those grand-babies for me."

If Sakura could have, she would have answered by saying that nothing was certain, and that she was damn certain that if Itachi ever proposed to her, they would be too busy _celebrating _afterwards to think of telling others. Unfortunately, however, it appeared that she had lost the use of her mouth, and was effectively speechless. Her mother did not seemed bothered by it though, and let the silence slide, instead of demanding her to promise.

Sakura loved her family with all her heart, but whenever she returned home, she was suddenly attacked with exhaustion. Vaguely, she wondered if, should she start a family of her own with Itachi, their children would grow up with similar feelings. As she gazed warmly to her mother, pulling bowls out for curry, she decided she would not have it any other way. Insanity was simply just a part of being a family.

* * *

Sakura stood awkwardly with a towel in her hand, helping her mother with the dishes made after their meal together. She would have to go for her shift at the hospital soon, and then Itachi would probably drag her out before she lost the ability to stand on her own to get dinner. They were spending most of their free time with each other, and despite the upcoming battle, she was happy. Unbelievably so; to the point where she hardly knew how to express it.

Her mother seemed to catch it, too. "You seem to be in high spirits," she commented lightly. "I wonder, does it have anything to do with Uchiha Itachi?"

Sakura smiled shyly. "Okaa-san, you already know the answer to that," she replied, taking a wet bowl from her mother to run the towel over it. Her mother seemed to be pleased by the implications being made.

"Yes, I suppose it has _everything _to have to do with Uchiha Itachi, doesn't it?" She laughed softly at her daughter's expense. "You should know that your father and I already have approved of him. He is the perfect sort of man for you."

Sakura was unsurprised by what her mother said. The way things with Itachi were heading, it was practically expected that he visit her parents soon to ask for her hand. He would probably do that before speaking to her as well, considering how traditional he could be. Of course, he had not waited to make her his wife before reaching their current level of intimacy, but besides that, he had acted following every rule in the book.

"I know he is," Sakura said at last, grabbing a wet glass next. She paused in thought, before supposing she should tell her mother where her feelings lay, at least. Ino did not know yet, unless she had figured it out on her own, and so the only other person she would ever tell, Itachi, was also the only person that knew. Sakura was a rather open sort of person, and she hated having to hide how she felt.

"Okaa-san, I'm in love with him." She said cautiously, knowing this would open a whole new can of worms. This was the first time she had ever admitted this to her mother about anyone. Of course, at the same time, it was truly the first time she had felt so desperately and violently in love with a man. Childhood infatuations hardly counted.

Her mother, however, waved her hand flippantly. "Well, obviously." She stated smartly. "I'm pretty certain you've been in love with him for a while now, long before you actually slept with him."

Sakura felt as if she might have lost what little dignity she had. Was she really so easy to read? Disbelief coursed through her, and she swallowed thickly. Some kunoichi she was, if a civilian could read through her so easily, regardless if it was her mother or not. Still, she could not deny it, because her mother was right. "I know I have been," she mumbled shyly, resisting the temptation to hide her reddened face.

Her mother sighed. "I really wish you all the happiness in the world with him. If Uchiha-san is the only man you could ever love, then he definitely deserves you."

She huffed quietly. "Okaa-san, don't be giving me away already! He hasn't made me an offer yet."

Her mother laughed warmly, and Sakura could not help but rolling her eyes affectionately. How her mother had become so wise was beyond her, but as usual, she was correct. There was no other man she could possibly love as she did Itachi. Her heart probably could not handle the pressure if she even tried to love another so utterly and completely. Not that she ever would.

* * *

Warm, soft flesh slid slowly against his as she stretched lethargically. His eyes grazed her lithe form as she tiredly moaned; the very sound was enough to excite him, his mind automatically taking it out of context. She shifted up though, her rounded breasts scraping across his bare chest as she sat ungracefully. Itachi frowned to himself, missing her warmth almost instantly. Making his displeasure known, he pulled her back over to him.

She giggled at his frustrated expression, straddling his chest playfully. "Itachi, we can't be staying up all night, _every night, _to have sex. Tomorrow's important, and we both need sleep. If my chakra doesn't get replenished, guess who's stupid ass I won't be able to heal?" She teased, a slender hand resting over his heart as she bent over to kiss him.

She was, of course, referring to the New Year's festival that was to take place the next day. Danzo had yet to make his move, so his original suspicions were to be proven correct, in a matter of hours. Itachi was well aware of the importance of having a fully prepared medic-nin on the field, having more than enough experience in fighting without medic-nin on site to know as much.

"I'm going to assume that you mean me," he answered her question smoothly.

He, however, was a shinobi, and he cared for his little mate almost desperately. Itachi was not ignorant. He had seen much more death in his lifetime than he wished, and while he hated to think he could be so easily separated from the woman he held dear to him, he could not pretend that it was not possible. He and Sakura were mortal, human beings, and while the odds of the upcoming fight were in their favor, Itachi knew to be prepared for death to strike. It was simply a part of how life worked as a shinobi. He wanted to treat every moment as if it could be their last, in the chance that either she, or himself, were killed. They would not be separated with her doubting his feelings for her, of that he would be sure.

He had yet to vocalize these feelings, even though he had conveyed them to her in every way he could think of. She had already confessed her own feelings to him, and had proven her patience with him, by waiting quietly for him to return them with words. He was already certain of his feelings, with no doubt in his mind, and it was likely that she knew them just as well as he did, if not better. It was the only reason she could have waited for him to voice just how much he longed for her, dreamt of her, _loved her. _

While Itachi was hesitant to be honest when addressing her about such powerful, passionate feelings, for fear of scaring her with their strength, it was nothing but the truth. Itachi was very much in love with her, to the point where explanations of how he felt could never be put into words perfectly. It was simply beyond any human language. She needed to hear him say it though, and even if the mere thought of telling her had his stomach in knots, Itachi knew had had to say it.

This was the woman he wished to make his wife, after all. Tsunade's warning that he had better pop the question _before _letting his mother start with her elaborate wedding plans still rang clear in his head. Sakura was not ready for him to ask for her hand, though. Of this, Itachi was certain.

She snickered against his lips. "Of course I meant you. Who else could I mean?"

Itachi hummed softly into her mouth as she unconsciously rested herself onto him again. Just where he wanted her to be. "Well, it is rare when I am injured badly enough in battle to not stand on my own two feet, and I couldn't possibly be considered a _stupid ass, _as you so eloquently put it." He paused then for effect. "You could just as easily be talking about Shisui, since he is not only prone to injury, but an idiot as well."

Sakura laughed, twisting out of his hold. "You're so mean to your cousin. What did he do to deserve such cruelty?"

Itachi smirked, his arms curled around her waist. "He spilt juice over one of my study sheets when I was going to the academy. I told him he would regret that for the rest of his life."

Her laughter grew louder. "I never knew you told jokes, Itachi."

His expression was positively devilish. "I am being completely serious. You can ask Shisui if you want, but he might run away in fear at the mere mentioning of that incident." He murmured, his voice rumbling in his chest. The look in his onyx eyes gave away that he was indeed, telling her the truth. The thought of what it took to get on the Uchiha heir's nerves was enough to give her the giggles again.

"You have to be the only man I know who would get pissed off as a child because you couldn't study properly," she teased lightly.

He shifted onto his side, and she tumbled with him. "You wouldn't have been upset?"

"That's different," she proclaimed, before pressing her lips to his again. The growl from the back of his throat had a sarcastic ring to it, but he did not argue, his hand combing through her tangled, pink hair and pulling her closer. He adored the taste of her sickeningly sweet breath in his mouth, the feel of her body against his own. She was unbearably sensitive, he knew, after their previous round, and every small touch he gave would have her begging, notwithstanding what she had told him minutes ago.

She sighed shakily as he rolled them over again, his weight resting on her lightly. She could tell where it was heading, and as satisfying and pleasurable as it would have been to climax with him repetitively, all throughout the night, she also knew that she had to lay down the law.

His mouth latched onto the sensitive spot bellow her ear, _knowing _that she would have a difficult time resisting him. She moaned despite herself, encouraging him more than she should have been. "I was serious before, Itachi," she breathed. "I'm not freaking invincible like you, so I need sleep sometimes."

He persisted for a moment, before releasing his hold on her with a smirk. "I never said I was _invincible."_

Sakura grinned up at him. "Just almost."

* * *

Itachi tucked a towel around his narrow hips, stepping from the shower. He cleared the fogged-up mirror with his forearm, staring at his reflexion when it became visible. Wet, inky hair fell over his shoulder, the smell of Sakura's vanilla and sugar shampoo strong. So much could change within the next day, and standing in her bathroom after a long shower made him feel strangely insignificant.

This was of course, not true, since he had done so much for his home and village throughout his years of service. He had prevented a war, and defeated Madara and Orochimaru, Konoha's two biggest threats, single handedly. In two years, he would be head of the Uchiha clan. The Hokage would have found a way to stop the Uchiha clan though, ten years ago; he was certain. And Madara and Orochimaru were big targets. Someone would have defeated them eventually. Everything he had done, Sasuke could have done in the right circumstances.

Then there was Sakura. She was a loving person. Surely he was not the only man she was capable of falling in love with-

_No. _

He had to stop himself. There was no other man that she could possibly be with, and he refused to let his mind think otherwise. She may have been an affectionate sort of person, but she was _his, _and no other man would ever be able to sink their claws into her. No other man could ever love her as he did.

He ran a hand through wet hair, moving it out of his face. Itachi knew what the cause of such dangerous, pessimistic thoughts was. Well, he was going to end that.

Pulling on the pair of pants he had worn the day previous (if he continued to spend so much time at her apartment, he was really going to need to keep spares there), Itachi strode out of the bathroom with confidence, finding his little mate in the kitchen. Much to his amusement, the minx had taken his shirt, explaining why he had not been able to find it earlier, and was not likely to be wearing anything beneath it. He watched her as she stood in front of the stovetop from the archway into the kitchen, deeply breathing in the tantalizing smells of her home cooking.

While he would never dare tell anyone but perhaps Sakura, her cooking was definitely on par with his mother's. He had lived his entire life assuming no one could ever compete with the Uchiha matriarch, since he could never find something better, but _her _cooking was wonderful. He had always thought so, since the mission she had, quite literally, forced it down his throat.

With a small smile on his face at the memory of Sakura force-feeding him, Itachi crept into the small kitchen silently, taking the slight female by surprise when curling two arms over her abdomen. She gasped with a blush, before craning her head back to look up at him. She grinned up at him though, when taking in his smug expression. Shaking her head, she turned back to the _tamagoyaki_ simmering in the pan. Steamed rice was already sitting aside, miso soup also waiting to be served.

Smirking, he held her closer, bending down to rest his chin on her shoulder. She did not look at him, expertly going about making the rolled omelet, but he could tell she was still smiling. Gently, he brushed his sharp nose along the soft line of her jaw, before fluidly asking, "Do you need help with anything?"

He could tell that she was holding in laughter. "Yes, actually," she managed. "Can you get the pickles from the refrigerator? The tamagoyaki is almost done and I want to start serving." Sakura stated, sighing happily when his lips caressed her chin, ear and then forehead.

Just as suddenly as he had wrapped his arms around her, Itachi released the petite woman, marching right up to the refrigerator. After his second time spending the night at her apartment, he had determined that it would be more convenient-and healthful-if she kept more than instant ramen in the house. She had agreed wholeheartedly, then dragged him all throughout the marketplace to get fresh produce and fish. It had certainly been an _interesting _experience for the Uchiha heir, who had but rarely bothered to wander into the marketplace to shop. His brother's description of elder, civilian women had been rather accurate.

They were terrifying.

Regardless, he and Sakura fully stocked her pantries and refrigerator again, and even if it was still slightly unusual for Itachi to sit down at the table with only her, it was something he could certainly get used to. She did not expect anything of him, which was a relief when compared to every breakfast he had ever eaten in the main Uchiha household. It was a relaxed environment, and though he had been brought up to have flawless etiquette, and had never really been allowed to sit with his elbows on the table, he found himself enjoying it.

He found himself spending less and less time in the Uchiha compound, and more with her. It was good to be able to be himself, instead of constantly keeping up the perfect mask his father expected from him, and for the first time in years, he was completely at ease. It was strange that he found himself so comfortable in the presence of another, but Itachi was learning that he could trust Sakura. She had an innocent mind and soothing aura, something that was difficult to find in their lifestyle. Even if it went against his instincts as a shinobi worth his salt, Itachi was slowly discovering himself able to let down some of his guard with her.

Having already made himself familiar with her kitchen, Itachi set the jar of tsukemono on the counter, before reaching into the cabinets above their heads to pull out the sets of little plates and bowls used to eat their breakfasts from. He began to serve the rice and miso soup as she finished with their tamagoyaki.

Sakura's heart warmed slightly at the strange sight of Uchiha Itachi helping her with their meal. Never had she imagined his being capable of doing such domestic things, not that she had assumed that he would not be able to handle the simple task of scooping rice, but rather because it was comical to think an infamous shinobi like him was just as human as she was. Beaming to herself, she turned off the heat, carefully serving the rolled omelets as he began placing things onto the table.

She ushered him into a seat, before setting the rest of the table. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tenderly kissing his cheek.

"Sakura," he whispered, raising a hand to hold hers. "There is something I've been meaning to tell you."

She could hear her own heart thudding in her chest at his statement. She knew what he was going to say. At least, she hoped she knew. Nothing would have made her happier, for him to finally voice his feelings to her. He knew this, naturally, but it was not the reason he was saying anything. Itachi was not the sort of man that would ever say something just because it was customary. He had to mean it.

"I love you, too," he breathed, eyes scrutinizing her carefully.

Her smile was absolutely breathtaking. "I know you do, you silly man," She murmured happily.

* * *

Mikoto was not an oblivious woman. She had concluded, even before her knowledgeable husband, that despite whatever their son had said, he had gained new intimacy with Sakura. She was very pleased with this fact, even if part of her wished that her son had waited for matrimony. Of course, now that they had reached the next level with each other, it would only be a matter of time before Itachi would announce their engagement.

Their marriage was even more eminent, since they were spending every free moment together. Her son was scarcely spending more time at home than it took to grab a change of clothes, or spare weapons for training. It was plain to her that if he was not spending the time he had outside missions, training and meetings with the Hokage, then he must have been with Sakura. Mikoto greatly anticipated seeing her son and the pink-haired kunoichi at the New Years festival in the next few hours.

She smiled to herself as she wiped the dishes from breakfast clean. She was well aware that something as romantic as fireworks could create the perfect moment for her son to propose. Setting her cooking things into the drying rack as she heard the front door open, indicating the return of Itachi.

She quickly ran her hands through a dish towel to dry them, before hurrying to meet him. "Itachi-chan!" She called, before he could rush off to his room, as he usually did. "I need to talk to you about something!"

Itachi paused at his mother's excited voice, and waited patiently. His mother was grinning warmly when she came to greet him, and he was slightly taken aback when she hugged him. His mother was a very caring person to be sure, but Itachi had gone through his entire childhood with very little physical contact with either parent, because of the rigid standards his father had. He had to wonder what had caused his mother to suddenly be so..._touchy-feely. _

"Good morning, Okaa-san," he greeted politely. His mother's hold loosened, and she patted his back reassuringly.

"Come into the kitchen, Itachi-chan. There's something I want to give you before tonight."

Itachi's eyes narrowed with suspicion at this comment. He sincerely doubted that his father would have told her about the expected attack, but the Uchiha clan had always done things in whatever way they deemed best. He should not have been so surprised that his mother could have known, even if it meant his father had gone against a direct order from the Hokage. Frowning, he followed his mother down the hall.

For the second time that morning, Itachi found himself being forced to sit at a table.

...he liked it better when Sakura had done it.

With a small giggle, his mother had left her bewildered son sitting at the table, with not a clue to what she was doing. He did not leave his spot, though, waiting curiously until his mother returned. In the Uchiha matriarch's hand was a small, wooden chest he easily recognized. He stared up at his mother in shock.

"Okaa-san," he started quietly, "I'm not sure if-

She did not give him the chance to so much as finish his statement. Mikoto was going to get her way, one way or another. "Please, Itachi-chan, let me do this, as your mother," she said gently, taking the spot at the table opposite of him. "I'm not trying to rush you in any way, but since it's obvious your relationship with Sakura-chan is going to lead to marriage, I don't see much of a point in me keeping these any longer. As of now, they are yours, to give to her when you see fit."

Itachi swallowed almost nervously-though he refused to think such a thing could make him so uneasy-as his mother opened the wooden chest to reveal what was inside. The three items lay on silken cushions, each of them familiar to him. They were all heirlooms, and antiquities that were practically priceless, considering how old they were, how many generations they had been passed down. Now it was his turn to receive them, as the eldest son of the Uchiha head, and the clan heir. One day, should Sakura accept his offer, she would be handing over the same set to their eldest son.

Tentatively, he lifted from the box what he would first give her, a rather simple, silver chain with only three ornaments. He took a moment to visualize the chain resting over her delicate throat. Itachi already knew when he was supposed to gift it to Sakura, but let his mother tell him anyway, too caught up in his thoughts to really care.

"When you propose to Sakura-chan, and your engagement is official, you will give that to her to wear." She sighed almost longingly. Itachi had no doubt she was thinking back to when his father had given her the necklace that now rested in his hands. He mutedly observed as her long fingers softly stroked the second item in the box, a lacquered comb. It was what Sakura would wear in her hair at their wedding. He imagined this as well, pleased by the thought that by the time they married, her hair would have grown out enough to be put up. She had not had her hair cut since late summer, and already it was reaching her collarbone.

His mother then picked up the comb, before placing it in his open palm. "You will have to persuade her to let her hair grow a little longer, I think, If she is going to be able to wear it to your wedding," Mikoto smiled. "She will be the most beautiful creature on the planet that day," she continued knowingly, "and you won't be able to keep your eyes off her, all throughout the ceremony. All you'll be able to think about is how much longer until you can get her alone."

Itachi was not the sort, by any means, to blush, but he could not help feeling mildly embarrassed by what his mother said. He did not let it show outwardly however, keeping his discomfort at her wise comments to himself. She was right, after all, even if she was simply telling him what she had experienced on her own wedding day. Sakura _would _be the most miraculous thing his eyes would see on that day. Itachi knew himself well enough to know that she would be the only thing he would be able to focus on the day of their eminent marriage.

Lastly, his eyes rested on a small, though clearly still sharp, blade. It had but one purpose, and one purpose only, in continuing the never-ending loop. This blade, upon the birth of his first son, and the next heir to the Uchiha clan, would used to cut the umbilical cord. At this thought, Itachi could not deny being discomforted. Pregnancy and childbirth were not things he often pondered over, though he supposed he should, if he was one day going to subject Sakura to bearing him an heir.

He felt as if he was getting ahead of himself, though, as the blade was then handed to him. He was not prepared to ask Sakura for her hand in marriage yet, when he had only just confessed his feelings to her. He did not want to ask her to do something so life-altering until he was certain she would accept. Sakura was a prudent woman, and was not likely to rush into marriage so easily. He hardly knew how he felt about it, himself.

All he _did _know was that he loved her almost desperately, and probably could never live without her again. He could very easily picture himself asking for her hand, watching her sign her name beside his, and strangely enough, help her through labor. These things were all so very possible in his mind, and that was what scarred the great Uchiha Itachi the most. Never had he thought it probable, but Itachi found himself completely ready to marry her.

What insanity was he getting himself into?

* * *

Sakura was startled when the doorbell to her apartment rang, and almost dropped her hairbrush because of it. She knew that the chances of there being a battle at some point in the festival, but she still had to keep up a certain image around civilians. Tsunade's hope was that they would be able to silence Danzo's movement before civilians could realize what had happened. If she, and the other ANBU and jonin ranked shinobi marched around the village dressed as if they were prepared for battle, there would be panic.

She was a kunoichi, so she able to move almost as fluidly in a kimono as she would be able to in her usual clothing. She was trained to be prepared to fight, no matter what she was wearing, and what she was doing. Of course, she was not truly involved in the fight, unless it became necessary, and would be waiting in the shadows of the battlefield, beneath the notice of their enemy, prepared to heal whoever fell. She could only hope now that no one she loved would be hurt, even if she was there to patch them up.

The ringing sound repeated, and Sakura had no doubt of who it was. Trying not to be annoyed, she smoothed the dark material of her kimono, fingers running over a thick forest of pine. Minutely, she wondered if Itachi would be wearing a kimono as well. She would certainly enjoy that.

As she approached the door to let in her teammates, with Naruto's antsy fingers still on the doorbell and all, she had to laugh at the thought that it was more likely Itachi would attend the festival in full ANBU regalia. Just as she had suspected, it was Naruto and Sasuke on the other side of her threshold. She was pleasantly surprised, however, to see Kakashi standing just a few feet behind them. She supposed it made sense that he would be joining them, since he would be filling in for her as the third member of Team Seven while she was leading the team of medics. Less irritated now, she ushered them all in, and had them sit in the living room, while she finished getting ready.

Both of her teammates were wearing their thick, winter kimono as well, even if the temperature was quite mild outside. Naruto's was, to nobody's surprise, a shocking, bright orange, while Sasuke wore a simple, navy colored kimono. Kakashi did not wear a kimono at all, opting to stay in his usual jonin vest and shinobi pants. As the three males awkwardly sat themselves onto her couch, they each gave an uncomfortable glance to her disappearing back.

It was the most disturbing to Sasuke, because the entire apartment _stunk _of Itachi. He had noticed that his brother had begun to spend his evenings and mornings away from the compound, and was aware that Itachi did not return between dinner and breakfast times. His father was not at all upset with this change, meaning he had to have been with Sakura. Now it was obvious why Itachi had been spending so much of his time with kunoichi teammate, and why Sakura always seemed to appear to team training sessions out of breath because of rushing.

He looked briefly at Naruto. He was as oblivious as always, and probably did not sense a difference in Sakura's small flat. He then gazed at Kakashi, who's olfactory senses rivaled with those of the Inuzuka clan members. The older male was likely able to smell the scent coming from her bedroom in the back of the apartment, which he was only just able to detect. Even if he _could _distinguish the musky scent coming from her bedroom, Kakashi did not give the impression of being disgusted or at all shocked. He must have expected it, which disturbed Sasuke even more.

She returned within minutes of their arrival, ready to leave for the festival. Sasuke attempted to pretend that he was not annoyed by how nicely she had dressed herself up for his infuriating, older brother, but Naruto had no reserves for sharing his opinion.

"Sakura-chan, you look so pretty tonight!" He crowed proudly as she opened the door for them to exit, before he paused thoughtfully. "You _are _going to be staying with Team Seven, right? I mean, it's become practically a tradition with us. We _always _go to the New Years festival together."

Sakura smiled to her teammate while she carefully slipped on a pair of zori. "Naruto, what about Hinata? Don't you want to spend some time with her, too? I bet she will want to see you, at least."

Naruto looked slightly pained by this, as if he were conflicted. "Well, she can hang out with _all _of us, but Itachi..." He swallowed at her venomous look. Naruto sighed with defeat. "I guess we can all go as one group. As long as Itachi doesn't get bitchy, or try to steal you."

They reached the end of the stairs and entered the street to be met by an especially entertained looking Itachi and Shisui. Sakura automatically stepped up to Itachi and his cousin. They were both wearing kimono as well, much to Sakura's inner pleasure. The rich, dark grey material of Itachi's winter kimono suited his dark eyes and fair skin nicely, and she had to admit that Shisui did not look half bad either, with his heavy, burgundy kimono.

She grabbed his hand and accepted his greeting kiss, before Itachi smirked diabolically at Naruto. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice in the matter either way, Naruto-kun," he stated evenly. "I might be in the mood to be _bitchy, _as you so intelligently put it, and it is very likely that I will steal Sakura away at some point."

Sakura blushed faintly as Naruto yelped back, "Teme!"

* * *

AN: This was such a pain in the ass to write. But I finally got it out! Sheesh. Thank you so much for being patient with me. Hopefully, I'll be able to update faster...but no promises. Sorry.

Oh! And this story has finally reached over 700 reviews! I'm so happy! As always, your feedback and opinions are appreciated. :)


	22. Crushing Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Unfortunately.

* * *

_Limbs are flying! Men are crying! Such a hurtful sight._

_The call is made, it's one for all! Take no prisoners!_

* * *

Itachi had been slightly taken aback. Not that it should be all that shocking how beautiful Sakura was capable of being, even when she was wearing nothing but a ratty, old tee shirt, but as she descended the stairs to her apartment building, he had not been able to keep his eyes off her. She had looked stunning, and suddenly, the cool, heavy metal chain he had kept in the inner folds of his kimono did not seem to weigh so much. His mother had somehow persuaded him to bring it, _just in case the perfect opportunity came along, _as she had said.

She waisted no time and immediately approached him, which Itachi could tell peeved her teammates. Even Kakashi, who was lagging behind, did not appear to be completely comfortable with how his hand rested on her hip almost possessively. Of course, he was far from sticking his neck out by saying something. He seemed to value his life, at least, and Itachi appreciated it.

He was not accustomed to attending public events, and Itachi had not been to a festival since childhood. Most of the time, he managed to land himself a mission that would allow him to miss any sort of event, or he was running security. This was the first time he had actually wanted to be present at any kind of celebration since before his academy days, and he knew very well what the reason for that was.

Sakura.

She was the sort to enjoy public celebrations, rather than more private ones, and even if the eminent attack would been on her mind, it was obvious she still wanted to be there. And he wanted to be with her. So, by default, he wanted to attend the New Years festival as well. Part of him had been dreading it in the very back of his mind, but when he saw her dressed so elegantly, it had been completely forgotten. All he could possibly think about was how absolutely gorgeous she looked in the kimono. She probably knew it, too.

Not soon after reaching the center of the village, their relatively small group grew. First Hinata joined them, Naruto being her date, until they had unintentionally managed to gather all the Rookie Nine. Itachi spared a glance at his younger brother, whose attention was most unhappily focused on a Yamanaka Ino, who was dressed in a dark purple. With a smirk to himself, Itachi wondered if the Yamanaka girl would sneak herself into his brother's heart somehow. By how Sasuke's shoulder muscles were so tightly wound, he doubted it. Still, that was clearly her intent.

After getting yelled at by an elderly, civilian couple for loitering in the middle of the street and blocking the flow of traffic, Itachi found his opportunity to sneak Sakura away. Most of the group had been surprised by the sudden scolding, and quick to oblige the complaining civilians, had scrambled to get out of the way. With this, the group was split, and in the confusion, he caught her devious, little grin. He returned it with one of his own, and they were suddenly turning into an alley, going straight across to go to a different part of the festival.

It was dusk, and a soft, blue light made her skin look even more pale than it usually did. Even though it had been several years since there had last been snow in Konoha, Itachi wished it would. He was content though, glad to finally be alone with her. Well, as alone as they could be in such a populated area. Couples, families and friends were all moving through the area, some heading towards the game booths, while others appeared to be traveling in the direction of the food stalls. Something must have caught her eye, because the next moment he was being led towards the crowded food stands.

Amused, he then found himself standing in line to buy amazake. It was entertaining to see just what sort of things got Sakura excited. She smiled up at him as they stepped up to the front of the line, ordering two. Itachi caught her hand before she could _dare _pay, instead laying down the money himself as she huffed and took her drink. Her annoyance did not last very long, and a small, slightly cold hand curled into his as they walked along, enjoying the lights. It was all so strange to him, being with her in such a different environment than what he had gotten used to. He had gotten so used to being utterly alone with her, and had forgotten about the whole public aspect of their relationship.

She was happy though, and therefore, he was as well. He still thought it humorous how easy it was to please the small woman. In some ways, she reminded him of a child.

Sipping their sweet drinks, they wandered the various stalls, almost having to make a run for it when passing the booth Ichiraku had set up for the occasion. Naruto had been oblivious though, and when Hinata met Sakura's gaze, there was a short moment of understanding. Both women wanted to spend the evening with their significant other, and Hinata carefully kept her lips sealed when her cheerful boyfriend complained very loudly how he wished Sakura had not been separated from everyone else.

Then, they had found a place to have a moment to themselves, and Itachi was very much thankful for it. Somehow, they had strayed to the training areas, where there was, quite literally, _no one _around. Sakura could tell that he was pleased by this, and could not blame him for being so relieved. She already knew he was not the sort of man to relax out around people. With a content sigh, she sat herself down at a vacant bench. Even though the training areas were on the very edge of Konoha, they could still easily hear the noise made at the festival.

As the vaguely purple sky darkened, and the first stars started to appear up above their heads, and she curled up to him close to gaze at them, Itachi pondered; was this that opportune moment his mother had so wisely spoken of? She had been so confident that he and Sakura were _ready _for this, and that the festival was the absolute perfect place. Even if Itachi was not so certain he and Sakura were prepared for marriage, considering he had only just verbally confessed to her within the past day, he was aware of how..._romantic _the situation was. It was almost to the point of being cliche.

Sure that it was probably still too soon to ask her for her hand, Itachi instead asked in his usual, soft lilt, "Sakura, what you do if I ever proposed to you?"

He was genuinely curious. She was silent for a moment, her eyes turning from the darkening sky to his pale face, her expression screaming out her confusion. He could comprehend why this would bewilder her so thoroughly, since it was hardly a normal thing to ask a woman, especially since he _did _intend to wed her, no matter how she recieved his proposal. Itachi was nothing if not stubborn, and she already knew that much.

She regained her composure before asking back, "By propose, you mean if you _asked _for me to marry you?"

Uncertain of what she could have possible been thinking, he slowly inclined his head in agreement. "Yes."

Promptly, her cheeks were burning bright red, and she giggled in such a way that he could already tell she was going to tease him. How this question warranted her teasing, Itachi did not know. "I have a hard time picturing you _asking _me to marry you," Sakura explained with soft laughter. She was smiling up at him though, so Itachi, despite his astonishment at her bold statement, figured she would elaborate further. She had to know, since he had never really hidden his intentions from her, that he would eventually ask for her hand. Everyone expected it, even those outside their families. It was only a matter of time.

"Oh? And why is that?"

She grinned up at him with a decidedly amused air. _"Because, _Itachi, I can't really imagine you really asking _anything. _I think it's much more likely for you to demand that I become your wife, leaving me no room to refuse." Sakura stated smartly, before laughing. "You really aren't anything like other men."

He gave her a dubious look. "I should hope not," before his dark eyes softened. She still had not answered his question completely. Was she afraid to tell them the truth, and was that why she had so cleanly avoided it, navigating his thoughts away from that with skill? Itachi sighed to himself. He still wanted his question answered.

"Very well then, Sakura. If I stood before you and demanded to have your hand in marriage, what would you do?"

Then she was smiling at him so tenderly that it made his chest constrict and his heart throb in a beautifully painful way. "Well, that's easy enough to answer," she whispered, leaning closer into him. Itachi wondered why his heart was pounding so loudly, but could not come up with any explanation for it. "First, I would do this-"

Pink, rose-shaped lips smoothed over his, gently rubbing his lips with such an overpowering affection that Itachi was uncertain he could possibly restrain himself. Her kimono parted slightly as she rolled against him languidly, her body soft and warm and sweet against his, but he hardly noticed, too preoccupied by the feel of her loving kiss. Though his mind was slightly boggled by her attentions, he could make sense of what she was wordlessly saying through touch. She was already giving him her answer.

Sakura was accepting him, even if he had yet to make an offer. Of course, he should have known this was her answer all along. Unconsciously, his hand was digging through his kimono, until they grasped cool metal. Logic was saying it was too soon, and that she was too young, but at that moment, Itachi decided that he did not want to think about how insane it was, for him to be pulling out the Uchiha heirloom from the thick, inner layers of his heavy kimono. All he had to know was that he wanted it, badly enough to make his move.

The cool metal of the chain seemed to bite his palm as he pressed her firmly into him, angling his head to gain better access into the warm caverns of her mouth. Her pouty lips parted for him readily, and she moaned, his tongue gliding against hers languorously. She was so unbelievably perfect, and she was his. Itachi had already reached his conclusion.

Sakura gasped for air, before allowing him another short, openmouthed kiss. Emerald eyes hazed over from their passionate embrace, she found the strength to smile. "Then, I would probably say something completely ridiculous, like, _'there are such things as happily-ever-after, after all.'" _Sakura breathed, before admitting, "And we'd probably stay up all night having sex, but you already knew that."

Itachi looked amused by this. "Well, naturally." His fist clenched around the chain more tightly, because he knew he was right, even if he was unusually nervous. It was _the moment. _It did not occur to him, with his uncanny, shinobi senses, that they could be being watched from the shadows.

He moved her shoulder-length hair away from around her neck, brushing the pink locks behind her ear, before softly kissing her throat. He slowly uncurled his fist with purpose, her eyes never leaving his. Sakura felt her heart warm at the uncertain smile that played on his lips, and briefly looked down to his lap, where he held what appeared to be a necklace. Though she did not know what significance the necklace had, Sakura had a pretty good idea, and was astonished when long, slender fingers worked to unclasp the chain.

That was when everything went wrong. A voice, both cold and entertained, called out to them, a voice that Itachi never thought he would hear again. He had killed the owner of that voice, after all. It should not have been possible. His head whipped around though, and he had to accept that he was not imagining the voice, at such an odd timing.

"Itachi-kun, it seems that you've grown up since last time I saw you. It feels like you only killed me yesterday, but I suppose time means little to the dead."

* * *

He had been annoyed. Sakura had been _their _teammate first. They had always gone to the festival on New Year's Eve together. Naruto blamed Itachi. Itachi was the one that had caught her attention. He and Sasuke had not been able to stop it, either, because in all honesty, Itachi scared the living shit out of him. Itachi was just too strong for them to handle.

Naruto supposed he should consider this a good thing. Itachi, if anyone, was capable of protecting Sakura better than any other man. Of course, at the same time, she would always be in more danger with his title as clan heir. Sasuke was not fighting it anymore though, so he must have concluded that there was nothing that either of them could really do to get Itachi away from Sakura.

While usually he and Sasuke gave little thought to how _Sakura _felt, being too busy beating away her numerous suitors with a big stick, in this situation, her feelings had to be more seriously considered. Naruto could remember back to when Team Seven was first made genin, and how Sakura had been like. She had adored Sasuke indefinitely, and had made a point of showing how much she hated him. Sakura was a very affectionate sort of person, and cared dearly for all her friends and family, but Naruto had _never _seen her like she was with Itachi. Ever.

He was afraid to think it, but Naruto was beginning to suspect his kunoichi teammate was in love. While this was enough reason for alarm, it scared Naruto that Itachi returned her feelings. The Uchiha heir had made himself clear with him, and Sasuke had told him what he had secretly overheard on the night Sakura had officially met with his parents.

They wanted her to marry Itachi. They wanted her to have his kid. And Sakura had not refused. She had not said yes right then and there, but she had not refused. Which Naruto knew meant she was seriously considering it. Wanted it, even.

That was the reason she had let Itachi break their sacred tradition of attending the festival together. He was just thankful he had such a sweet, understanding girlfriend like Hinata. She knew that he just didn't want Sakura to be hurt. Sakura was like a sister to him, she was family. He protected his family. That was how it worked, or at least how it should have worked.

Hinata knew him better than almost anyone though. She saw that he was stressed about it, and knew that he was worried for his teammate. She did what only the best of girlfriends would ever do. Hinata took him to the stand Ichiraku had set up for the festival. She even ordered for him, and asked for extra pork. He was the happiest man on the planet, Naruto was certain.

Even if he was worried about Sakura being alone with Itachi, instead of with her team (speaking of which, he wondered what had happened to Sasuke), Naruto could not have been more satisfied. After finishing his second bowl, however, everything ended abruptly, all with a long scream and the rumbling of earth beneath his feet. It was earlier than the predicted attack, but he was prepared. Tearing off the heavy kimono with one quick tug, he flexed briefly, already dressed in his standard shinobi clothing. Hinata nodded with a small smile, gave him what he liked to call a _ramen-kiss, _since her breath tasted like ramen still, and was off running in her kimono, her byakugan already activated.

He stared after her for a moment, slightly amazed by how gracefully she could move in something so constricting, before shaking his head with a grin, and turning to find Sasuke and Kakashi. They had been only a few yards away, and already they were tensed and ready to fight, Sasuke having abandoned his kimono as well. Naruto was surprised, however, when he recognized his one of his opponents.

It was _Sai. _The phony guy who had substituted on their team as a fourth member. He was so certain Itachi had gotten the guy locked up for life, for what he had done to Sakura. Hell, he was shocked he was alive at all.

"How the hell are you alive, ass-wipe?" He asked angrily, pointing at him with an accusing finger. "Itachi should've had your stupid ass put in a cell!"

Then there was the eery grin. The creepy-as-fuck smile that Sai guy always wore. It gave Naruto the goosebumps. "Obviously, someone had me released, Dickless-wonder." He answered in a cheerful sounding tone. "Your Hokage is inept, after all, and Danzo-sama has more connections than you think."

"You fucker!"

That was enough to piss him off, and Naruto decided, right there, that he was going to beat the annoying prick until he was unrecognizable. He charged towards the group of Root-nin, Sasuke clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth in irritation, before dashing after him. Kakashi was already getting ready to use his chidori. There was sparks of electricity and searing flames, but Naruto did not pay it any attention. He was too busy knocking some sense into the shinobi who had dared to say that the Hokage was incapable of doing her job.

Sai was just lucky that Sakura was not there, because she would have punched a massive cavity into his chest, and he would have been pronounced dead before hitting the ground.

* * *

Tsunade smiled devilishly, the sounds of battle already reaching her ears from her office. She did not need to look to know that Danzo had just entered her office, and alone. She held her gaze out the window though, observing as a particularly irate jonin kunoichi brutally beat on a Root-nin just outside the Hokage tower. Surely Danzo had known that his forces could never have smothered hers.

Without the element of surprise, since all the ANBU and jonin had been briefed before the festival, Danzo and his Root had no chance of gaining victory. Already his defeat was clear. He waited patiently though, and Tsunade saw no reason that she could not humor the man, after his pitiful attempt to take her position.

Turning towards him, she grinned. "Lovely evening, isn't it, Danzo?" She asked sarcastically. "I'm really looking forward to the fireworks tonight. I have the perfect sake to celebrate with, too."

His voice was as hard and cold as usual. "Konoha will start the new year with a new ruler, Tsunade-hime. Do not think that I will lose so easily against a hodgepodge of under qualified ANBU and jonin elite, when my Root has had superior training."

Tsunade could not help snickering at the older man. "Danzo, have your eyes started to fail you already? Your _superior Root _has nothing on my troops, and your shinobi will be silenced within the hour, no matter what your numbers are. You should have never made any move at all, because you already know why you were never considered for the position as Hokage. _You _are under qualified, if anyone."

Danzo was unperturbed by her snide comment. "We will not lose."

She rolled her eyes at his stubborn determination, crossing her arms under her breasts. "Yeah, you will, and when you do, I'm gonna laugh my ass off and drink to my pathetically easy victory."

* * *

Itachi stood abruptly, pulling Sakura away to stand behind him. He did not know how it was possible, but not twenty feet away from where he stood, was Uchiha Madara, a man he had killed several years ago. It should not have been possible for the man to be alive again, but somehow, he was. He had no doubt that Madara was back for some sort of revenge, after having been betrayed and mercilessly killed. Itachi's sharingan eyes narrowed, however. If he had defeated Madara once, he would have no difficulty a second time.

In one swift motion, he had torn his kimono off, a full ANBU uniform on underneath. Despite the danger, he heard Sakura snort from behind him, and mutter, _I should have known. _

He stepped forward slowly, crouched into a defensive position. Madara laughed cooly however, raising two hands. "There will be time for that, Itachi-kun, but right now I just want to speak with you."

Itachi frowned, not buying the elder Uchiha's statement. He had no reason to believe a man who he had once killed. Still, he questioned smoothly, "What do you have to say to me?"

His gaze, indifferent and cold, landed on Sakura. His lips then tilted upwards slightly in what Itachi assumed to be amusement. "I do believe you will be the first Uchiha heir to marry a woman outside the clan. Of course you've always done things your own way, but I'm surprised Fugaku would allow it. I can't imagine him permitting you to reproduce with a woman who could possibly give you an heir with pink hair."

"My father knows that once I decide something, I will do anything to get it." Itachi murmured darkly, his deadly intent obvious.

Madara did not pause either way. "That wouldn't bother you? This clan has fallen much more than I had thought. You should have wiped it out when you had the chance. Now you're going to have to go through the embarrassment of being their head." He looked as if he wanted to laugh at the thought. Sakura frowned, wishing there was something she could say or do, but aware that it was out of her place. This was something between the Uchiha elder and Itachi, and if he did not get closure, he would not be satisfied.

Itachi was sorely tempted to say that he adored her pink hair, and how in the sunlight parts of it would shine white and pure, just like her. However, the need to defend her was stifled by the prospect of Madara patronizing him about it, and pointing out how weak he was. Then there was the chance that he would target Sakura if he knew the extent of his feelings, once they fought. Madara was not known for having clean fights, and Itachi was not going to put her in danger more than she already was.

The resurrected Uchiha huffed thoughtfully, looking at the young woman again. "You make me wonder sometimes, Itachi-kun. What is it about this woman that attracts you? She is not particularly voluptuous, and looks rather young. I would have figured you to be more interested in someone more womanly," he pondered. "Is it her innocence?"

Itachi did not answer, gritting his teeth to prevent himself from saying something unnecessary.

Madara looked pleased by this. Itachi's silence was an answer in itself. He smiled deviously. "Ah, so that's what it is," he chuckled darkly. "She's everything that you wish you were, but never could be. You're a murderer, and this girl has probably never even seen blood before, right? How intriguing, that you would choose a civilian. I wonder how you would react, if I slaughtered this little girl right in front of your eyes."

A moment later Sakura had tensed into a fighting position, hand already clutching a kunai she had hidden strapped to her slender legs. Her expression was hard and unyielding. "I am the Godaime's apprentice, thank you very much," she muttered, insulted that the Uchiha had automatically pegged her as a useless, defenseless civilian woman. "You assume too much."

The Uchiha laughed. "Oh, and who is the Godaime Hokage? Another damned Senju, I'm sure. Itachi-kun, you really have let our clan fall, to associate yourself with such dirt."

Sakura glared, but Itachi answered for her. "Tsunade is the Godaime Hokage."

Madara did not look too surprised. "I was right, then. A female Hokage? Well, she was granddaughter of the Shodaime, so it shouldn't be so shocking. I wonder if I should pay her a little visit after I finish with you and your little woman-child."

With a screech of metal slicing through air and a white flash of reflecting light, Itachi had unsheathed his katana. Before anyone had the chance to react, Itachi had quietly ordered, "Sakura, I want you to quickly find Shiranui and Shisui. Alert them that Akatsuki has infiltrated our borders, and tell them to notify the other ANBU teams. Then join your team of medic-nin and report back here. Other Akatsuki members are likely to enter in this area, and it is the most ideal place to contain them."

"You figured it out already, then? Yes, it appears that Orochimaru's right-hand man learned the reanimation jutsu from that snake as well. He _is _an Akatsuki member now, isn't he?"

Itachi's sharingan flared to life. "Sakura, go now." He commanded, leaving no room for questions. She nodded, swallowing before rushing off.

She only just heard Madara mumble, "Yes, it seems the time for words has passed already," before she disappeared.

Sakura had not needing to ask Itachi who the Uchiha had been. If his aura was not enough of an indication, the memory of his face in her nightmare was. Uchiha Madara was dead, she knew he had been, at least. Now, by some ungodly power, he was alive again, and apparently, set on returning Itachi's favor. Sakura believed in her lover. There was no way that Madara could kill him, but it scared her that he had to fight someone as powerful as the adversary of the Shodaime Hokage.

Her dream, she realized, had been a premonition more than anything else, that Madara would return by whatever means he had to kill Itachi, after having been so soundly defeated.

She shook her head though, jumping through the rooftops to avoid major traffic, before her eyes caught sight of Shisui. She landed gracefully next to him and his opponent, taking advantage of the enemy's oblivion to cleanly press two fingers into a pressure point, knocking him out efficiently. Shisui looked surprised by her sudden appearance, and her decision to finish his opponent for him, but was given no chance to say anything about it.

"The Akatsuki has breached our perimeter, and intends to enter the village through the training grounds. Itachi orders you to gather whatever ANBU you can to prevent them from getting any further and quickly join him. I will alert Genma and gather medic-nin. There is only one enemy to have made their presence known, and Itachi is fighting him alone." She said, carefully masking her expression of doubt and fear.

He nodded, before curtly asking, "What Akatsuki member is Itachi against?"

"Uchiha Madara," she answered in her own terse tone, not catching his stunned face before she was on the move again, looking for the remaining member of ANBU Team One. There was no question that once hearing her answer, Shisui had run off to complete the orders from Itachi. Sakura was glad for it, too, because if other Akatsuki members started showing up while Itachi was still busy with Madara, she was not certain he would be able to keep them contained. The odds were good against the elder Uchiha, but if anyone else appeared, he would be in much more dangerous situation.

Genma took little time for her to find, and she repeated Itachi's words as quickly as she could, wanting to gather her own team before anyone got themselves injured. The team of medic-nin she was captain of did not have as much experience in the field as she did, but they were still skilled enough to handle what was about to be thrown at them. Sakura only hoped that they would able to protect themselves properly, in the chance they got attacked as well.

* * *

She was indulging him, and Danzo knew it. His men were falling to her troops, and she had decided to humor him by letting him watch. Root meant very little to him, since they were only formed for this purpose, but it was disappointing that his efforts were being proven futile. He was still not yet completely defeated, but in her eyes, she saw no chance in him winning. Tsunade had always had a bad eye for gambling, though.

Danzo clenched his jaw, staring out the large window in frustration. The Akatsuki had still yet to do their part, and as far as he could tell, had never even arrived in Konoha. If they _had, _the damage he would see at that moment was beyond imagination. Something was keeping them from reaching the thickest part of the village, and with a sideways glance at the Godaime, he knew just what that was. He cursed under his breath, at the realization that Tsunade had figured out just how connected Akatsuki was to his movement. He should have predicted for this to happen, but it was not entirely his fault, he surmised.

The Akatsuki had not done a very good job of keeping their heads down nicely. Deidara and Kabuto being captured had never been a part of his plan, and undoubtedly, it was because of this that he had been given away. The development in Bird had merely been to distract Tsunade. She was the sort to care about such small, nonessential countries, and would naturally want to send support. Danzo was certain that it was the medic in her that made the woman so emotionally weak. The support she had sent, however, was much more than he would have anticipated. The Akatsuki should have been better prepared to deal with ANBU, but he had clearly overestimated their organization.

He had spent good money to hire them, and such an organization was not cheap, he knew very well. It was sad, how unreliable his source had proven to be. He would not give up hope yet, however. There was still a chance they would appear.

* * *

Sakura reached the training grounds, her team following behind, out of breath from trying to keep up with her speed. Instantly, she scoped out their surroundings, checking for any major injuries. A few ANBU that had been fighting Deidara looked to have some minor burns, and she sent a few medics to care for them. Then she turned to see that it had been fifteen minutes since she had first spoken with Shisui, and already the man had gotten himself hurt. Cursing quietly, she dashed up to Shisui, kneeling down next to him and not caring she was still in her kimono. Hands glowing green with chakra, she pressed them delicately into his chest, where the wound was bleeding from.

Closing her eyes in concentration, she inspected his injury, which was not a large as she had thought it was. For him to be down because of something so seemingly minor was highly unusual, especially considering the fact he was ANBU. She had seen him walk off things much worse than this...Sakura swore loudly.

She knew just what had happened. _Poison. _Frantically, she called to a chunin medic. "Mei, bring me the supply bag, stat!"

As a senior medic-nin, she knew very well that when dealing with poison, it was a race against the clock. Once it got through a person's system to a certain extent, the damage was irreparable. Medics could do a lot, but it was impossible to heal everything. Thankfully, it looked like it had only just entered his bloodstream, so once she got the antidote, it was simply a matter of administering it and flushing the poison out of his system.

Mei thankfully interpreted the urgency in her voice, and was digging through the supply bag before she reached her. Sakura took the syringe and antidote from the young medic's hands, immediately preparing the needle and wasting no time in injecting fluids. Sighing softly, she went straight to healing the gash across his chest. With the antidote in his system, he would be up on his feet an able to fight within ten minutes. With new, pink tissue covering where his wound had been, she started to put her things away, satisfied with a job well done. Then she looked up at his face. It was contorted with pain, a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. She frowned, biting her lip abusively. Had the antidote failed?

She placed a hand to his forehead, noting that he had a fever. The antidote she had given him covered all the standard poisons used on the battlefield, but it was clear the poison used on him was more complicated. His eyes cracked open slightly, and she saw that his pupils were dilated. She was reminded of the first encounter she had with Akatsuki, and her near-death experience with Sasori. He had used poison that her antidote had only slowed down. She considered it for a moment, and concluded that Shisui had to be taken to the hospital immediately, to be given the cure for Sasori's poison from Shizune.

Quickly, she shouted to Mei again. "Mei, I need to you get Shisui to Shizune, right now. Tell her that he's been poisoned and needs the Sasori antidote. She'll know what that means. Ask for spare antidotes to bring here as well. Move like your life depends on it!"

"Yes, Haruno-senpai!" Mei nodded did as she was told, struggling slightly when she picked up Shisui to carry him over her shoulder. Sakura took a moment to watch as the fifteen year old kunoichi rushed off as swiftly as she could with a man almost twice her size on her shoulders. Only somewhat satisfied, she turned to see how the others were doing.

It seemed that no one else had been poisoned yet, but she felt the need to warn someone.

"Itachi!" Sakura called, catching his attention easily. "Madara is using the poison Sasori used on me! You need to avoid even the smallest of cuts, or it will enter your system as well!"

He inclined his head in understanding, moving out of his block to strike Madara. This attack was prevented with ease, and she watched for a moment more, appreciating the grace of his fighting style. It was almost like a dance, how he would move, and she felt slightly jealous. She did not have much time to admire her lover though, because a blast of hot flames and broken earth blew through the area, undoubtedly from Deidara.

Not waiting to see the damage, she was on the move, pulling injured operatives from the rubble and taking them out of the deranged missing-nin's range. She glanced around the scene then, and knew that all of the other shinobi were busy with their own fights. Her team of medics needed to be able to heal the men injured from Deidara's explosion, but if the pyromaniac was left alone, he would simply attack her medics. Gritting her teeth, she glared harshly, giving the junior medic-nin the order to stay out of her way, and to protect the injured.

Quickly, she snatched her gloves from the folds of her kimono, cracking her knuckles angrily before dashing towards Deidara. He looked amused to be fighting a woman dressed in kimono, and Sakura already knew she was being underestimated. With a smirk of her own, she cocked her fist back, and released it on the ground beneath his feet, creating a crater where he had been standing.

She refused to be taken lightly.

* * *

AN: Sorry for taking so long to get this out! Life has been getting in the way of writing, to be honest. Nonetheless, I want to dedicate this chapter to **_simplyvanilla, _**who just went through my entire story in the past week, and reviewed EVERY chapter. I just think that's awesome, so thank you, darling!

Of course, I'm thankful for all the reviews I get. :) Feedback is always appreciated.


	23. Human Feelings

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto. What a shock.

* * *

_Look me in the eyes, don't tell me._

_Is it in your heart, what your striving for?_

* * *

The rumbling of earth beneath their feet was catastrophic, and she earned looks of surprise from everyone, even her fellow Konoha-nin. The damage looked similar to that of an earthquake, and even Itachi looked pleasantly surprised by the raw power of her punch. He had never really seen her fight at full strength though, since she never used nearly as much chakra in her throws when training with Naruto and Sasuke, and he had not gotten the opportunity to watch her fight Sasori.

She met his eyes for the briefest of moments, startled, and rendered completely red in the face when seeing the extremely feral, purely...aroused gleam they held. How her fighting style could have possibly been a turn-on for the Uchiha heir was beyond her, but Sakura had to remind herself that he was an insatiable sort of man anyway, who seemed to be thinking of different ways he could take her more than anything else, since their first night together. It had been an insane week of sexual experimentation, and when he suddenly grinned in all his masculine glory, Sakura was almost afraid to ask what he was thinking when she had the chance.

She shuddered at the thought, mentally berating herself for leaving her enemy alone for even a second or two. That amount of time was enough for any shinobi worth their salt to make a killing strike. Itachi was not so distracted she knew, because he paid her no more notice than that split-second where their eyes met, and immediately returned to his own battle. Deidara had not taken advantage of the short time he had been given, and when all the dust had been cleared, he was hovering a few feet above the training field, standing on a large, white owl. She reminded herself that he had the ability to turn his clay sculptures into explosives, and that she had to pay better attention, or she would, plainly put, be blown up.

Sakura crouched slightly, her kimono splitting up the length of her leg, preparing herself for the pyromaniac to start dropping bombs on her head. She looked up at him though, and was surprised by his hardened glare, directed straight at her. Sakura matched it with one of her own, but could not understand just what she could have possibly done to him to make him angry. They were both seasoned shinobi, and he should have known it was nothing personal against _him_. She was simply defending her home.

Then, he spoke, in hoarse whisper of fury. "You're the pink-haired bitch that killed Sasori-danna, yeah."

She stared up at him in astonishment. _Sasori-danna...? _Apparently, the two psychotic artists had been much closer than she had originally presumed. It seemed that he was going to hold her accountable for Sasori's death, which she supposed was only just, even though it had been a fight to the death on both sides, and she had barely scraped by with her own life. She had still killed the missing-nin puppeteer, and even if she had done it to protect her country and own life, she was still wholly responsible. It was all part of being a shinobi.

"Yes, I am," she murmured back, knowing he could hear her. She was not remorseful for killing Sasori, because in all rights, he had been a demented criminal, and she was not going to pretend that she was apologetic when she felt somewhat justified for ending his life. For the life of that baby boy swaddled in the butter-yellow blanket, for the elderly woman he had slaughtered before she could arrive to save her, and for the countless people he had murdered to create his everlasting _art. _To preserve her own sanity, she had to tell herself she had been right in killing Sasori.

He growled deeply, obviously upset by how easily she had admitted the truth. Sakura still did not feel any regret, even when he looked like he wanted to cry. "I'm going to kill you for that, kunoichi."

Sakura had expected no less. If it had been Sasori who had won that fight, Naruto, Sasuke or Kakashi would have said the same thing, because they were like her family. Sakura smiled sadly, knowing that Itachi have would too, now. "I understand," she replied calmly. Sakura was confident in her abilities, and knew she would not lose to the Akatsuki bombing terrorist, but was well aware Deidara would not get any peace without having fought her properly.

It was nice to think a criminal like him, who had committed so many horrendous crimes against nature had some part that was still human, deep down.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, yeah?" He finally snapped. "You aren't allowed to be so goddamned calm about this, yeah! I'm gonna kill you, your boyfriend over there, your fucking family, and everyone you care about! Let me see your explosive anger and fear, dammit! Give me a piece of art, yeah!"

Sakura then forced herself to remember that even if there was a sliver of humanity left in the missing-nin, he was still mentally unstable and saw beauty in short flashes of destruction, while most sane people found the most beautiful things in life out of creation. Focusing again, she clenched her fists, ready for whatever he had to throw at her.

Frustrated because of her refusal to give him the rage he so longed to see, he instantly reached into his cloak, hands quickly working quickly on a clay sculpture. He probably thought that he had gained the advantage by getting some distance from her by flying above, and she already knew he was a long-range fighter. Deidara was smart enough to keep some space between them, knowing she was a close-ranger fighter, but she was still more than able to get close again, despite the height his owl was lingering at.

He was not the first opponent she had ever had that once seeing her throw a punch, assumed she could only concentrate her chakra and release it from her hands. Poised, ready for the imminent blast, she began to gather a good amount of chakra into the soles of her feet. Once his bomb was dropped, she would take advantage of the rubble and smoke that would cloud his vision, and make one high jump up to his owl, at the same instant as the impact. He would never expect it, and once she was at his level again, the victory would be practically hers.

Generally, those who were long-distance fighters were not very strong in their taijutsu, so balanced on that clay bird, he would not only not have very much room to avoid fighting her, but _her_ crumbling taijutsu style would be very effective. One good hit, and he would be done for. That was what she would aim for.

He was quick at executing his jutsu, and within moments, she was shooting through the air, her gloved hand ready to punch a hole through his chest. What she had not been prepared for, when she landed smoothly on the head of the clay owl, was for his devilish, disturbingly wide grin. She understood his reason to be smiling a second too late, because a small spider-looking sculpture detonated in the tiny space between them, and she only just managed to block her face and chest before she was hurtling backwards from the explosion.

Not only had the missing-nin been able to predict her movements, but he was suicidal as well. Her kimono had caught fire in some spots, and annoyed, she had to rip the sleeves off to prevent getting any burns. Ino was going to be royally pissed when she saw what had happened, because she had been the one to select the kimono for her. There was no helping it though, because even if she had torn the burning material from her body as fast as she could, she had still gotten singed.

Without even looking at the damage made to herself, she ran a hand over either arm, healing her burns unconsciously. Deidara had not gotten away uninjured either though, and had thrown off his Akatsuki cloak, letting the blazing, black material flutter back down to earth. Gritting her teeth, Sakura ignored his triumphant grin. There was seriously something wrong with him if he thought he had succeeding at anything when he had hurt himself as well.

She was ready to go again.

The explosion from his small, spider sculpture had damaged his bird, so now he was back on the ground again, on her domain. She rushed forward, narrowly avoiding tripping in her confining outfit, and surged a powerful dose of chakra through her arms. He did not try to go back in the air, though, standing his ground as she charged at full speed. She struck, and much to her surprise, she was blocked rather smoothly. It shocked her even more when he made an attack of his own. His blow was not nearly as powerful, or graceful as hers, but they were definitely above average.

It did not matter though, because Sakura knew he was lagging slightly in his movements. Even if he was an S-class criminal, dreaded member of the Akatsuki, he still had limits, and he had used too much of his chakra with the explosions from earlier. If she had not before, she definitely had the advantage then. Sakura could not keep herself from smirking as she swiped her leg under his, and he had to flip over on his hands to stop himself from falling. He scooted back a few feet to avoid her fists, but by the frown on his face, he knew that his chakra was running low as well.

Much to her exasperation, the moment he came to realize this, he was already floating on a newly formed clay bird.

* * *

Tsunade grimaced. Akatsuki had shown up, after all. She had the feeling that their numbers were not as large as anticipated, and that was the reason they had yet to break out of the training areas.

She really had hoped that they would have been able to finish off Root completely, before the organization of missing-nin had appeared. They were damn close to victory, so she hoped that Danzo would surrender and order Akatsuki off again. He was still standing at the window, staring out of it in almost a daze, as if confused by what he was seeing. He had never imagined being defeated by regular shinobi, and she wondered for a moment if he would lash out like a trapped, wild animal right before capture.

A few minutes later, she was given an answer. She took _one _second to pour herself a congratulatory cup of sake, had even considered giving him one for the purpose of seeing his annoyed expression, and when she looked back at him, he was facing her again, his katana drawn and pointed towards her. By his stance, Tsunade knew he was serious, and had every intention in killing her. A smug, mocking grin stretched across her cheeks.

She really had never planned to have him executed, even though he had certainly earned the death penalty, but now that he had turned his sword on the Hokage. That was something she could not ignore, and it certainly deserved worse than being locked up in a cell for the remainder of his pathetic existence. Gleefully, she supposed she could do the honors, and take care of him herself. If it was a fight he wanted, then that was what he was going to get.

He watched her down the sake in one gulp, and in the time it took for him to blink, he was airborne, and flying out a broken window. He spun midair, though, landing on his feet with ease, despite his age. It had been a long time since he had been in any sort of fight, since he was considered to be retired from active duty, and officially one of Konoha's revered elders instead. He watched with weary bemusement as Tsunade kicked out the broken window's frame, and smoothly swooped out to land a few feet away from him.

He really was getting too old for this sort of thing. That was why he had formed Root.

Tsunade was not as young as she wanted everyone to think either, though. Even if she appeared to be no older than thirty, she was well into her fifties. She could not be nearly as flexible as she used to be. Her stamina had to have lessened too, after so many years working behind a desk. He could take a woman in denial about her age any day. She would see that she should never underestimate any opponent, especially with her position as Hokage.

Two ANBU operatives materialized to her left and right, undoubtedly wanting to fight in her stead. She waved them both off, though, cackling as she did so. "No, I'll take care of this delusional old fart myself," she had said. As if he could not hear her. It was saddening, how disrespectful shinobi had become since his day, but that would all be resolved when he became Hokage.

"I will defeat you, Tsunade-hime. Do not think I will hold back because you are a woman."

Tsunade's eyes widened fractionally, and she turned to the operative at her right. "Did he really just say that to me?" She asked in bewilderment.

The operative's posture looked awkward for a moment, as if he were uncomfortable by the thought, before he answered. "Yes, Hokage-sama, he did."

That was all she needed to hear, because then she was snickering to herself, and cracking her knuckles menacingly. "Danzo, you are a sexist pig," she smirked, before propelling herself forward, fist reading to go straight through his head. "Who the hell asked you to hold back, huh?" She bellowed as he barely dodged. Her punch barely nicked his chin, but that was enough to send him into the air again, the chakra compacted and released all in an instant running strongly through her system still.

Danzo swore he saw the face of a devil. Then he realized it was Tsunade. There was a reason why her sucker punch was so well known, it seemed.

* * *

For not the first time in his life, Itachi found himself questioning the sanity of his predecessor. Madara had been powerful to be sure, in his own time. Now he was only an empty shell of what he used to be, in more way than one. Yakushi Kabuto certainly had chosen someone well-fitted to the job when reviving Madara, since the Uchiha was well known for his abhorrence of Konoha, and everything it stood for, but he must not have done his research completely.

Itachi had never hidden the fact that he had been the one to defeat Madara in the first place. Fighting him again somehow felt redundant. Itachi had only improved since the time he defeated Madara, and so it was almost comical that the elder Uchiha had fantasized that he could avenge his pride now. It was not that Madara was a weak opponent, because Itachi knew very well from personal experience that he was strong, but in this case, he happened to be stronger.

"I stand corrected," Madara sighed at last, jumping out of the way of a large fire jutsu. Itachi merely stared at him as he attacked again, not voicing his confusion. Slightly disappointed that the Uchiha protege did not wish to ask what he meant, Madara elaborated. "That kunoichi of yours is not as innocent and harmless as I originally believed. She is soundly vanquishing that Iwa-nin."

Itachi felt a strange sense of pride at this compliment, because that was _his _woman that he was talking about. Yet, he had to wonder if Sakura would have appreciated being praised by someone as infamous a criminal as Uchiha Madara. Knowing her, probably not. Still, he smirked.

"She is a talented Konoha-nin, both as a medic, and a fighter." He replied evenly, taking the chance to thrust his katana in Madara's direction. The attack was cleanly avoided, and Madara returned it with one of his own. Itachi may have been stronger, but he still most definitely kept his guard up.

Madara snorted, however. "You Konoha-nin are all the same, so damn proud of your foolish village. I'm sorry to see that you've turned out as bad as any Senju, Itachi-kun. You would have become so much more, if you hadn't betrayed me; an S-class criminal worth his salt, to be sure."

"I do believe that title fits you better than it does me," Itachi murmured dryly, avoiding a burst of flames shooting from Madara's mouth, "and I never betrayed anyone."

The look Madara gave him seemed to beg to differ, but the elder Uchiha said nothing. Itachi, for one, was relieved. It was the truth, of course, because never had he ever truly sided with Madara on anything, and he had never done anything for the Uchiha elder to think otherwise. However, there was no need for conversation, in a fight like theirs. The reanimation jutsu that Kabuto was controlling Madara with was likely to use up lots of chakra, especially after a long period of time, so all he needed to do was wait like a hawk gliding around its prey. The perfect moment to go in for the kill would come along soon.

Then it would be a simple matter of hunting Kabuto down, before he could summon another demon of his past; Orochimaru, for example. Most forbidden jutsu used up too much chakra for normal shinobi to handle, So though he obviously had some skill, to be able to keep Madara in control for so long, but resurrecting his old master, Orochimaru, would take too much of a toll on him; Itachi was certain. Still, he could not take a chance. Dealing with both Madara and Orochimaru in such short intervals was not something he wanted to do. He was just lucky that Kabuto did not have quite enough skill to reanimate more than one corpse at a time.

He was banking on that, at least, because the last thing he wanted was for some other former enemy to pop out of nowhere to get their _revenge. _While he would easily beat them down, no matter who they were, Itachi was not in the mood for it. One vengeful, past enemy per day was his limit. He did not have the patience for more than that.

Sharingan whirling, prepared for Madara's every move, he observed the chakra rushing through his enemy's system. Though Madara had what seemed to many to be a limitless supply of chakra, this was not the case. His chakra lessened substantially when suddenly activating what Itachi recognized to be the Mangekyo. He was unafraid of this forbidden, deadly technic, having defeated it once before. Besides, in this case, he had the upper hand.

Overwhelmed by his own insanity, Madara's dark laughter rang loudly through the training area, before he shouted, "So, Itachi-kun! Did your Mangekyo Sharingan awaken after you killed me?"

Itachi did not answer him. The Mangekyo was a lethal weapon, to be sure, but the user payed a heavy price. He had not told anyone, least of all the members of his own family, about what had resulted from defeating Madara. He had not wanted to see his mother's frightened face, or his father's sickeningly proud expressions at having produced such a powerful son, or worst of all, his little brother, disgusted by the sight of him because of what the Mangekyo was. It was not an ability to be proud of.

Only once had he ever used the Mangekyo, and it had been in a lapse of emotional control. At the time, he had been too angry to care what he was doing. Orochimaru had _dared _to approach his little brother, had gone so far as to place a curse over him, then he had killed the Sandaime. Itachi had felt so utterly useless, watching in silent horror as his Hokage fought the snake sannin, unable to assist the elderly, wise man because of a seal placed over the roof-turned-battleground.

Orochimaru had thought he would get away with what he had done. Itachi had proven him wrong. As the sannin went to make his escape, Itachi was the one to pursue him and his four oto-nin. Orochimaru had not cared when Itachi summoned the black flames from the very pits of hell to burn his underlings to death. Amaterasu was one thing, but instinctively, the very power he had refused to use, the Mangekyo, had flared to life. Orochimaru had already been severely injured after facing the Sandaime, and so it had been child's play to finish him off.

He had not been able to control himself. A hatred he had never fathomed possible swelled in him, and before he could stop himself, he had used the Tsukuyomi on the snake sannin. Orochimaru had been strangely excited to see the inner workings of the sharingan, almost giddy at the thought of being possessed by it, and shown a new world, with a bloody, crimson sky and a black moon. On that day, Itachi had felt no honor in using his deadly gift to utterly annihilate Orochimaru, and whenever he thought back on it, he still wished he had killed him in a different way. Itachi did not want to know what he was truly capable of.

Yet, it was not something he could pretend he did not have, anymore. He had been cursed with the gift of the Mangekyo Sharingan, and as one of its few other users, Madara would, in a demented sort of way, understand. He would say that being ashamed of his power was the equivalent of running away with his tail between his legs, but he had been the first to ever awaken that power. He knew the grief it could cause.

"You wish to see my Mangekyo."

It was not a question, but instead a fact. Something in Madara's eyes glimmered devilishly, and Itachi did not want to know what the Uchiha elder was thinking. Not waiting for an answer, he forced more chakra into his eyes, igniting a searing pain that could be from none other than the Mangekyo. The tomoe of his Sharingan sharpened into three threatening blades, and he honed them in on Madara.

"Ah, the things we could have accomplished," Madara sighed, before cackling, "I would have made you a flawless weapon, Itachi-kun."

Itachi did not doubt him. If he had completed his mission in wiping out the Uchiha clan, he would have likely been swept up by Madara. He would not have had anything anyway, so the elder Uchiha would have been better than suffering in solitude as a missing-nin. Thankfully, he had managed to put things to a stop before that could ever possibly happen.

* * *

Two ANBU operative stared in silent awe as Tsunade stepped away from what was left of Shimura Danzo, a bloody pulp. She had not killed him, but beat him until he was only an inch away from death. She wiped her hands on her green coat, cleaning them of the blood. Even as highly skilled shinobi, it was still amazing to see what the Hokage was capable of. She sent a glance over her shoulder, before grinning at the two operatives.

"Well, I guess you better go find where that Uchiha brat is kicking Akatsuki ass. Let them know their paycheck is out for the count, will you?"

They both nodded wordlessly. They knew that by _Uchiha brat, _she had really meant Uchiha Itachi, captain of ANBU Team One. Even within their organization, he was something of a legend, to have taken out two of Konoha's biggest missing-nin on his own, and at an unusually young age. He was respected as one of Konoha's strongest shinobi, even by his seniors.

Some within ANBU believed that he would come to lead the organization altogether.

They immediately moved out, sensing for his chakra signature. It did not take long to find, since the chakra he was releasing was unbearably powerful. The potency of his signature was stifling, even to them, and they raced to the training grounds to deliver the news. As they approached, more chakra signatures popped up, most of them also being worthy of notice.

The scene they were greeted by was somewhat shocking. It was no wonder why they had sensed Uchiha Itachi from such a distance, because _some _sort of jutsu had completely engulfed his body, and had made a twenty-foot radius around him. It was not something either ANBU had ever seen before, and for a moment, they decided to sit in wait, because they recognized Itachi's opponent. Uchiha Madara, resurrected, by all appearances.

The chakra surrounding Itachi took form, burning red in its intensity as it took the likeness of a mighty beast, armor protecting its front, and a long blade of fire in its hand. The limits of the Uchiha heir seemed to be never-ending.

His enemy, however, laughed, his voice shrill as he yelled. "You can even use Susano'o? Itachi-kun, you've been hiding your powers for much too long!"

As expected, their superior did not dignify this accusation with a response. Instead, he acted, the flaming katana shooting forward and piercing right through Madara's body, and coming out the other end. Itachi's face remained blank though, as the insane man roared with laughter. Blood shot from his mouth, and his head lulled to the side, resting on his shoulder.

"I'm already dead, Itachi-kun! What the hell do you think you can do to me now, huh? There's nothing you _can_ do!"

Both ANBU operative watched in astonishment as the Uchiha elder suddenly froze, his eyes widening in surprise. They understood a moment later, when Madara's body began to distort, as if being pulled towards the beast surrounding Itachi. At last, the Uchiha heir spoke.

"You can never be revived now. I shall seal you for eternity with the power of my Susano'o," he murmured in a dark tone that could send shivers down even their spines. "The damage you have caused to Konoha in the past is unpardonable, and this will be your punishment. Atone in a drunken madness."

He howled, his body being, quite literally, sucked into a sake jug held by the beast, or _Susano'o, _as Itachi had called it. There was no questioning the Uchiha heir's strength, and both operatives had to wonder if it was true he would one day head not only the Uchiha clan, but the ANBU as well. He was certainly powerful enough, to handle both at the same time.

Just as Madara disappeared, the flaming, chakra beast faded as well, leaving a fairly exhausted Uchiha Itachi. He closed his eyes for a moment, reverting his eyes back to their original, onyx state, and both ANBU dropped down to where he stood at that instant. They kneeled before him respectfully, their masks a sheer white against the dark of night.

"Tsunade-sama has ordered us to alert you that Shimura Danzo has been soundly defeated. Akatsuki should no longer have any purpose in continuing this attack." One said calmly. He inclined his head in understanding.

"What of Root?"

The second operative answered, "They, too, have been terminated. All members are to be held for interrogation. It is unlikely they will be executed, but that is still up for the Hokage to decide."

Itachi sighed. "Very well, you may return to the Hokage."

With that, they were both gone, and he turned to see how the other fights were resulting. Genma was holding his own against Hoshigaki Kisame, and he turned to see Sakura was close to victory. It made him feel slightly guilty for putting her fight to a standstill, but just as she had been about to throw her fist again, he materialized behind her, and caught her wrist. Violently, her head turned around and she glared up at him, before her gaze softened at seeing it was him.

"Though it would be very entertaining to see you continue beating this missing-nin to death, I'm afraid I have something to ask of you." Itachi murmured quietly, before turning to Deidara meaningfully. "This fight is over. If you have any problem with that, I will deal with you myself."

Sakura flushed bright red, dropping her arm. "What is it, Itachi?"

He did not answer at first, walking her away from Deidara. The blond Akatsuki gaped at them both in wonder, before crossing his arms with frustration. His eyes followed them as they moved to the very center of all the chaos and fighting, but it did not seem that Itachi was all too bothered by it.

At last, he whispered in her ear. "I have an announcement to make to everyone here, so I was hoping you could catch everyone's attention. Not too much damage, though, if you please."

Sakura rolled her eyes affectionately, giggling up at her lover. "What, you don't like shouting?" She asked sarcastically, gathering up a substantial amount of chakra into her fist, before releasing it on the ground below their feet. The earth cracked with a loud rumble, and most of the shinobi in the area had to jump into the air to prevent themselves from being wounded. Itachi gave her a pointed look, as if to say she had gone a little too far, but she shrugged, not caring.

Sighing, he cleared his throat.

"Our Hokage has defeated Shimura Danzo. He will no longer be able to pay for commissioning your organization, so there is no reason for you to continue this. However, if you _do _still feel the need to defeat us, we will happily kill each and every one of you. I am giving you the opportunity to leave alive, and I suggest you take it."

Sakura grinned to herself, tempted to ask him how it was possible for him to be so damn sexy when he was making death-threats. She kept it to herself though, knowing how he would respond to such a question, and not willing to have people witness anything meant for their privacy. At the same time, she wanted to laugh, because everyone was staring at him in shock, as if he had grown a second head. She hoped that Akatsuki would take him seriously, though.

Thankfully, they did. Hoshigaki Kisame seemed to be leading them in this case, since it was obvious their leader had not felt the need to join them on this expedition. He smirked at Itachi for a moment, before ordering his fellow Akatsuki members back. "I knew you were with Pinky all along," he cackled, referring to the short conversation Itachi had had with him before their battle a few months ago, "I really wanted to fight a second round with you, too, Kid." Kisame complained, turning around.

Sakura glanced up at her lover, frowning slightly when Itachi smirked back. Deidara followed after the captain of their makeshift team, cursing to himself as he went. She had the feeling this would not be the last time she saw the missing-nin, but she was not too concerned about it. She was just relieved that everything had been resolved so cleanly.

"I need to report to the Hokage," he said quietly as she grabbed his arm gently. During his fight with Madara, he had come rather close to a fire jutsu, and had gotten slightly singed, but her healing chakra was soothing. "I'll come find you after that."

"Don't bother," she muttered back, releasing his healed arm. "I'm going to have to report to Tsunade-shishou as well, after checking into the hospital to get an idea of the total amount of damage. I'll see you there."

Their short moment was obnoxiously interrupted when a boisterous voice called out, "Sakura-chan!"

She did not need to look to know that Naruto, and Sasuke and Kakashi probably as well, were running right in their direction. She gave Itachi a delirious look, before turning to her teammates. As she had suspected, Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi were quickly approaching. What she had not anticipated was for Naruto to have an unconscious, tied-up Sai on his back. She cringed slightly at the sight of him.

"Naruto, why the hell do you have a Root operative on your back?" She asked tiredly, almost not wanting to know what ridiculous thing he had to say about it.

Sasuke beat him to the punch. "The Dobe has decided to adopt him," he grumbled, clearly irked by the idea.

"Teme! Don't call me _Dobe!"_ Naruto yelled back. "You saw what happened at the end of the fight!"

"Then don't call me _Teme_, you Dobe."

As usual, they continued their bickering, leaving Sakura completely in the dark about the Sai situation. Kakashi stepped around the arguing jonin to answer Sakura's question for them. "Apparently, Danzo uses a seal on all his Root members, taking away their free will and turning them into mindless, obedient soldiers that will support him to the end. We had no proof of that until Sai, because Naruto somehow broke through his seal. Since Root was basically being controlled, he wants to plead their innocence to Tsunade-sama, then have the other members released from their seals as well."

Itachi nodded. "That sounds like something Danzo would do."

"Yes, well, I still have work to do," Sakura said. "Kakashi-sensei, make sure those two idiots don't stay here all night arguing again." Pecking Itachi on the cheek with a small smile, and ignoring Kakashi's grumbling about being called _sensei,_ she made her way over to the team of medic-nin she had been assigned to check on their progress.

It appeared that the injuries the ANBU members had sustained were not so horrible as she had originally presumed, because most of them were already getting onto their feet. Just to be sure there was nothing internally wrong with them, she checked over each operative, before giving the green light for them to go. She was pleased that only one person had gotten poisoned, though wished it had not been Shisui. Though he was annoying at best, she knew he was one of Itachi's closest friends.

Sighing, she removed her gloves, trying to straighten her kimono as much as she could without taking it off and putting it back on properly. Somewhat satisfied, Sakura ran a hand through unruly, pink locks, leaving the grounds and heading to the hospital, a group of chattering, chunin medics following behind her.

In a way, she was reminded of how she had been at that age-still a child.

* * *

Itachi entered the Hokage's office after gaining permission, and immediately bowed.

"All Akatsuki members have left the village," he announced calmly. "I sent Shiranui to run the perimeter, to be sure they have left our territory. He should be reporting in within a few minutes."

She nodded, huffing to herself.

"Good work, Uchiha," she said gruffly. "I have an assignment for you. A solo mission; S-ranked. You're the best man for the job though, and I can't afford to send an entire team in your place right now. We need as many shinobi in the village as possible, to completely clear this mess up. If word that Danzo tried to stage a coup got out, Iwa might be on our doorstep by tomorrow."

She really did hate to do this. Sakura was like the daughter she never had, and she was well aware how attached the young kunoichi had become to the Uchiha heir. There was no helping it though. The village was priority, and Itachi was one of her top ANBU operatives. He was very possibly the only man to pull off this job. Besides, Sakura was a strong woman. She would be able to handle the time they would be separated. If necessary, Tsunade would send her on her own mission with Team Seven.

"Very well, Hokage-sama," Itachi uttered calmly.

"I'll need you to depart at some time tomorrow, the earlier the better. It's a surveillance mission on Akatsuki, just to be sure that they were only here because of a paycheck. It shouldn't take longer than a month or two." She stated, crossing her arms thoughtfully. "I'll have the details written out more fully by morning, so report back to me before leaving."

"I understand," Itachi inclined his head.

His thoughts went to Sakura, though. Two months was a long time. How would she feel about this? Surely he could not propose anymore, as he had been about to before Madara had appeared. He could not leave for months at a time after only just asking for her hand; it was not right. Itachi did not want to, but it seemed that he was going to have to wait until after the mission.

Then, he would ask for the honor of having her as his bride.

* * *

AN: Another update. I don't think there will be more than two/three more chapters, so I'm hoping to finish this by the end of September, at least.

This story has reached 800 reviews! I would like to thank everyone who has ever reviewed my story. This is all for you guys! As always, your feedback is appreciated. :)


	24. The Happily Ever After Part

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto. What a shock.

* * *

It started with a kiss and turned out something else.

The blood coursing through my veins; I think of no one else.

* * *

Sakura was not sure why she felt so anxious, walking into Tsunade's office to report the total damage. Something was off, and she knew it, just by how Itachi was lurking in the corner of the room. He approached her when she opened the door though, eyes glimmering with some unfamiliar emotion. Uncertain, she placed a list of names on Tsunade's desk, glancing between her lover and the Hokage, trying to grasp at what she was missing. They did not give her any sort of hint though, leaving her oblivious.

She explained in a hushed tone that a few genin and chunin had jumped into the fight, even after they had been ordered by their superiors to guide civilians out of the area. They were still in critical care, and though Sakura was well aware how skilled Shizune was in the medical field, it was the sort of case where the results were not definite until the very end. Even if they should not have disobeyed a direct command, Sakura sincerely hoped they would make it out healthy and whole.

Besides that, the injuries were minimal. A few civilians had gotten wounded, but it had all looked accidental, as if a shuriken was thrown, missed its intended target, and hit someone else instead. Then there were a few overexcited, newly made jonin that had taken the battle too far, and ended up hurting themselves, but for the most part, those involved had little harm done to them. Some of the Root operatives had been badly injured as well, but there had been strict orders to not kill-all involved were to be interrogated, and Ibiki liked having good numbers to get his data from. Luckily, this order had been followed for the most part. There were certain operatives that though would have been healed properly if a medic had been there immediately after their being wounded, could not be saved by the time they reached the hospital.

It was simply part of the job.

Sighing tiredly, Sakura bowed at the end of her verbal report, glancing at the Uchiha standing at her side. All she wanted to do was go home, rip off the damn kimono she was in, and crawl into bed to cuddle with Itachi until she fell asleep. She was surprisingly exhausted, and when looking at the dark circles beneath Itachi's eyes, she knew he was likely to feel the weight of the evening's events as much as she did.

With that, they were both dismissed with a wave. "Sakura, Shizune is taking the night shift, so you need to check into the hospital by oh-seven-hundred hours. You'll cover her usual shift tomorrow," she addressed Sakura calmly before taking a swig of sake right from the bottle. Tsunade had no patience to pour the cups out when she was drinking so late in the night. "I want to see you in my office at the same time as well, Uchiha. So, no all-night fuck-fests. I need you both properly rested," she continued, giving them both a dubious look.

Sakura blushed bright red, muttering something unintelligible under her breath as Itachi wordlessly lifted a slender eyebrow on his pale forehead, wearing a knowing smirk. "Well, you can go now," Tsunade hinted, nodding towards the door. Before she could be embarrassed further, Sakura grabbed Itachi by the arm and marched them both out. Unsurprisingly, he did not resist.

* * *

Sasuke stumbled down the stairs, no longer able to sleep. His mother was already in the kitchen, readying their breakfast, even though the sun had yet to rise. It was winter still, so the sun rose at a later time anyway, but it was still surprising how early she got up on a regular basis. Grunting tiredly to himself, rubbing his eyes, he flopped down onto a cushion around the table, resting his elbow on the tabletop to support his chin with his hand.

For few minutes, he simply sat in silence, watching his mother as she went about her duties. He was aware how much his mother enjoyed being able to work in peace before the rest of the household was awake; he had heard as much from his brother. He frowned when remembering Itachi, glancing at the wooden table instead. His brother was being especially possessive, when it came to Sakura.

He had not tried to follow his teammate when Itachi stole her away, not really curious enough to want to know what they had been up to. Predictably enough, Naruto had kicked up a storm at how easily they had disappeared, but his Hyuga girlfriend had cleverly led him away before he could realize she was trying to get some time with him alone as well, and Sasuke had found himself alone. Well, Kakashi had been with him, but when he had his nose buried in that pornographic book of his, he hardly counted as being real company.

Now, Sasuke was an _Uchiha. _He did not need other people around to be happy, and he was not bothered by loneliness. He despised festivals anyway, based on the mere principal. They were pointless social gatherings, and more often than not, people would spend more money than they ought, and get drunk before blindly following someone they did not know into bed. He did not enjoy these sorts of things. Yet, in a way, Sasuke had felt as if he were somehow behind his teammates. He would never dare try to speak to his mother about this, because she would surely jump to conclusions, but seeing Naruto with Hinata, and then his brother with Sakura left him feeling somewhat empty. As if he was missing something.

He would never act upon this feeling, of course, but it was undeniable. Sighing under the distress of this thought, his eyes began to wander around the room, his mother's quiet shuffling a comforting sound. It was inevitable that his eyes landed on the wooden chest sitting on the table.

His mind blanked in shock at the sight of it.

He knew what it meant, after all. Sasuke stood abruptly though, not yet certain if his mother had simply taken it out as a hint to Itachi, or it it actually was being used. He would not put it past his mother to use that sort of tactic. Glancing over his shoulder, to be sure his mother was not watching, he unclasped the lid and lifted it away.

His dark eyes widened in horror. There was only two items left in the antique chest, a hairpiece and a blade. The necklace had been removed. He staggered back a few steps, feeling dizzy at the implications. Itachi intended to make his teammate the next Uchiha matriarch.

What the hell was he supposed to do with all this?

* * *

Sakura groaned to herself, turning over in bed. The sheets were tangled around her naked hips, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that she was alone in bed. With a sigh, she turned to the clock, seeing it was only just six in the morning. The sheets where Itachi had been laying were still warm, so it was likely he was still nearby. Stretching slowly, she sat up, unashamed of her bare form. Itachi joined her a moment later, identifying himself to her before reentering the room by allowing her to hear the ever-so-slight rustling of his clothing.

She was saddened to see him stand awkwardly in her doorway, already dressed in his ANBU uniform. He had told her the night before, not long after they had left Tsunade's office, that he had been assigned a long-term mission. She had hoped rather than believed that she would have a short opportunity in the morning to give him a more affectionate goodbye. He appeared to be ready to go, however, and she could not keep him in her apartment any longer. He was a shinobi, and it was his duty to do as the Hokage commanded.

Not having the luxury of time to hesitate, she threw off the sheets entirely, crossing the small room without a word. She could not say anything, anyway. She did not want him to see her cry; she had to be strong. Sakura buried her face into his armored chest, taking a deep, shaky breath. A gloved hand came to rest on her lower back as she committed the feel of his powerful body under her fingertips and his clean, rainwater scent to memory.

Two months suddenly felt like infinity to her. She could not perceive how she could possibly survive so long without his warm, gentle touch and soft voice. Sakura loved him too much to be without him. She took his hand and pressed it to her face, letting out a quiet huff. If she ever became his wife...would he be leaving regularly for missions like this? As she slowly glanced up to his dark, smothering eyes, Sakura knew that she would not stand for such a thing, and would be sure he knew how she felt the very instant he was back at her side.

"Sakura," he murmured at last, looking then as if he could not continue with what he was going to say. She knew what he meant either way, and the implications hurt. He had to leave. Her heart clenched painfully, and she delicately stepped to the tips of her toes, leaning into his larger body to press a kiss to his cheek.

He growled though, dissatisfied before he swiftly swooped down to violently capture her lips. His fervency was slightly startling, but Sakura was aware of what he was trying to convey. He would feel their separation as well, and he was not looking forward to the distance they would have between them. His gloved hands roved her body, as if searching for some sort of relief. Her lover had not been able to find it so quickly though, and by the time he had released her, they had both been out of breath, and her lips were swollen red.

Regaining his composure, he rested his forehead against hers. "Sakura," he faintly tried again, meeting her sorrowful gaze and holding it with determination. "Wait for me to return."

The smile she gave him in return was absolutely heartbreaking. She had never seen him look so uncertain with her. "What else am I going to do?" Sakura asked back rhetorically, her bruising lips tenderly caressing his. "You should know by now that I'm much too stubborn to possibly give up on you now, Itachi. You are _mine," _she continued seriously. He loved that about her. She was unafraid to say exactly what she was thinking or feeling. Nothing about her was deceiving. Of course, she also had knowledge that he would never let her escape his grasp either way, because she was _his _as much as he was hers.

"Good," he whispered, straightening his back and sending her a small smirk. Despite her sadness at his leaving, she managed to grin up at him.

His eyes flicked to the digital clock by her bed, and she comprehended what he was thinking instantly. Their time was officially up. An instant of mutual understanding passed between them, and he lifted a gloved hand up to her pink mane, curling a long, slender finger around short locks thoughtfully.

"_Ittekimasu,"_ he finally mumbled into her brightly colored hair, leaving her alone in the dark of her bedroom.

A tear slid down her cheek without her noticing it. _"Itterasshai,"_ she replied, even though he could not hear her.

* * *

Time had a strange way of passing. The first three days after Itachi's departure had been pure torture for Sakura. Her shifts at the hospital had been grueling, and she had gotten to the point of begging for the sun to set so she could go to bed and sleep. Before she had time to comprehend it though, an entire week had passed, and much faster than she had expected it to. In length, those first trying days had turned into weeks, those weeks had turned into a complete month, and before Sakura knew it, four full months had passed. Still, Itachi had not returned.

He corresponded with the Hokage often, updating her on Akatsuki's movements on a regular basis. Though he wrote to Tsunade regularly, he never sent her any message. It was understandable of course, because if he had sent word to her, it would have been opened by someone else first. Itachi was not the sort of man to like his privacy breached. Whatever happened between them should stay just like that, between them; no one else should have had the right to know their personal business. She felt the same as he did.

Therefore, she had no choice but to wait his return. She had been disheartened when learning he would not be back in Konoha at the end of his second month away, but his reasons for staying longer were obvious. His mission had been to be certain of what Akatsuki's intentions were, for the sake of their village. He was away to protect Konoha, protect his family, and it warmed her insides to think that he was away to protect her as well.

Once he was sure that Akatsuki had no purpose in Konoha, he would return to her. She would simply have to wait on patiently, as she had been for the past four months. A lot had happened since he had left, and she wished he had been there with her during it all, but it could not be helped.

She had turned, at the very beginning of spring, nineteen years old. Her plan had been to go to the hospital for her shift with little incident, before returning to her parent's house to enjoy a small, family dinner. Sakura had not wanted to have any real celebrations, no matter how loudly Naruto and Ino had protested. A nice evening with her parents was all she needed to be happy.

However, she learned very early on that nothing ever worked according to plan. Tsunade, in light of the situation, had given her the day off, and Sakura had not had anything to do with her day. She would have much rather spent time in her office doing paperwork than walking around the busy Konoha streets aimlessly. It was Sasuke that she had run into first. He had been dragged into the marketplace by his mother.

Sakura was not oblivious, and knew that her Uchiha teammate had been distancing himself from her in the past few months, really since she had first announced her relationship with Itachi. Still, he had warmed up to her for the sake of her birthday, excusing himself from his mother's side to treat her to an early lunch of tempura. Part of her had been relieved, because the last thing she _or _Itachi would ever want was to be on Sasuke's bad side. While it would never stop their relationship from progressing, Sasuke was important in both of their lives, and neither of them would want him to be upset with their being together.

She hoped that his being willing to go out for tempura meant that he wanted to accept the relationship she had with his revered, elder brother as it was; a permanent fixture in her life. He had been quiet for the most part, but it was a start. The only thing that had been particularly strange was when he had asked if his brother had given her anything before leaving for Ame. Bewildered, she had answered honestly with a negative, and had been more confused when he seemed to sag with relief.

Unfortunately, he had been tightlipped after that, refusing to elaborate on why he was so consoled by this information. When Naruto had appeared all of the sudden, Sakura did not have the time to pry anything out of him, because she was being dragged across the village to _eat some real food _at Ichiraku. It was inevitable that all her other friends eventually show up as well to wish her a happy birthday. Sakura had been thankful for their attention, and glad they had put the thought into buying her gifts, but towards the end of the day, when she had drudged back to her apartment after a long evening with her parents, she had only wanted one thing.

Itachi.

Upset that he was not there to celebrate with her-not that she could ever possibly blame him-and feeling lonely, she had burst into tears. Sakura had fallen asleep an hour later, feeling pathetic because of how easily she was swayed by her emotions, when her training as a kunoichi should have taught her to suppress these urges.

Now it had been a month since then.

Sakura trekked up the stairs of her apartment building, slowly making her way to her small flat. She was both mentally and emotionally exhausted, and though her pride would never allow her to admit it, Sakura was grateful that Shizune had caught her in the hospital lobby, dead on her feet. Her fellow apprentice had sternly sent her home to rest, scolding her for not getting enough sleep.

Sakura smiled at the thought, digging through her hip pouch for a set of keys. Once inside, she dropped her belongings carelessly, wandering down the hall and into the bathroom, leaving a trail of soiled clothing in her wake. What she needed more than anything was a long, refreshing shower to clear her thoughts. As she waited for the water to heat, she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, wondering what Itachi would do when he first saw her again.

She blushed when realizing he would probably pull her into some place private to familiarize himself with her body again. The mere idea of this sent a curling heat through her limbs, and she turned away from the mirror in embarrassment, hanging a towel over the shower rail before stepping into the stream of hot water. She closed her eyes and huffed to herself.

* * *

The first thing Itachi had wanted to do when walking through Konoha's gates was to go directly to Sakura's apartment, with every intention in ravishing her with all the power of his affections. However, he had duties to attend to, and especially after returning from such a long mission, it was crucial that he report immediately to Tsunade.

Well, if the woman had bothered to stay in her office. This was not the first time Itachi had returned from an especially taxing mission, only for the Hokage to have sneaked out of her office to get herself wasted. While technically he should wait for her to return, but he was impatient to see Sakura again, and there was no telling if Tsunade would be back within the afternoon. He was a man with priorities, and he refused to stick around.

So, he abruptly turned out of the office, leaving a thorough, written report on her desk. Tsunade would be able to figure out what had happened on her own. Itachi did not stop walking until he was in the residential area, and even then, he continued all the way to Sakura's apartment. It was already late afternoon, but he could not be certain that she was already home. It did not matter though, because he would simply wait for her if she was not there yet. He looked forward to surprising her either way.

He took out the spare key Sakura had given him in the month before he had left, sliding it into the lock with ease. Upon walking over the threshold, however, he quickly saw that Sakura was, indeed, home from the hospital, because there was a mess of clothing leading into the back of her flat from the door. Astonished by this, knowing Sakura to be an orderly person, Itachi traced her tracks, standing in front of her bathroom door for a moment with some concern. What had happened that she would act so strangely?

He snuck a hand into his pocket, long fingers brushing against cool metal. Itachi had kept the necklace on his person throughout his mission, the entire time considering how he would ask her to marry him. Now he knew exactly what he would do, at hearing the soft sound of running water. Slowly, he opened her bathroom door, stepping in without any hesitation. She did not notice him, her eyes closed under the stream of water.

Itachi watched her for a moment, noticing the slight changes made since his departure. Her hair looked like it was growing out, and he almost began to suspect his mother had warned her not to cut it, in the chance they did get married. She would not be able to wear the turtleshell-comb in her hair if it was cut short. He banished the thought however, reaching over to knock on the glass door separating them.

Vibrant, green eyes shot open, and her hands went to cover places of interest, when she turned in shock to see him standing there. Sakura could only stare for a moment, until she was sure he was not a figment of her imagination. She threw open the shower door, practically jumping at him. He did not seem to care that she was getting him wet, and was even less bothered by her state of undress. He held her back tightly, lifting her from the floor as he pressed openmouthed kisses to her lips. She returned his attentions hastily, not able to get close enough.

"Tadaima," he mumbled faintly into her hair.

Sakura nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. "Okaerinasai," she answered warmly, a happy grin crossing her lips. Sakura paused for a moment before looking him in the eye haughtily. "By the way, I think you should know that I'm never letting you take that kind of mission ever again," she stated seriously. "It was only supposed to be two months, which was bad enough, but you were away for four. It was too long."

"Oh?" He returned with a hint of amusement in his tone. "What would you do if I _did _take another long-term mission like that?"

She gaped up at him. "You can't be serious!"

Itachi squeezed her shoulders though, taking a small step backwards to remove his wet clothing. She watched as he stripped, not noticing how he retrieved a chain from his pants pocket. The cold had finally hit her, and while she was confused, she let him take her back into the shower. "In this case, I'm not being serious," he replied calmly, moving wet, pink strands of hair from her shoulder to press his lips to her bare skin.

Sakura hummed in delight, her body relaxing with the combination of hot water and his ministrations.

"Of course," his voice rumbled against her shoulders, "the chances of me getting missions like the last again are very slim. I intend to retire from the ANBU very soon."

At that, she froze. _What?_

He caught her stunned expression. "I have something of a condition though," he continued, hands smoothly gliding down her sides. "I hope you don't mind." He sounded clearly entertained by whatever his condition was.

She looked up and around at him cautiously. "What is it?"

Long, slender fingers traced her neck and collarbone, before moving around to her shoulder blades. A weight that had not been there before rested over her collarbone, and she lifted his gift up to realize he had put a chain around her neck. She admired it for a moment, before turning around to face him. "Itachi?"

"I was hoping you would give me the honor of becoming my wife," he stated matter of fact. His gaze was warm though, and tears gathered in her eyes at the power of her emotions. She flung herself against him, crying joyfully. It was answer enough for him, not that he had ever doubted how she would react. There was no way she would have ever refused him.

* * *

Sakura adjusted her vest awkwardly, before sweeping her hair to cover her bare neck. As she had predicted, she and Itachi had been too busy celebrating their engagement to announce it to anyone, and so she now stood in front of her parent's house, mentally preparing herself. Itachi stood peacefully next to her, looking as impossibly perfect as usual. She clenched his hand gently, smiling nervously up at him, before deciding that they could wait no longer.

With no preamble, she opened the door, cheerfully calling, "Tadaima!"

Her father looked up from the paper with a calm, "Okaerinasai," but he paused at seeing the Uchiha heir standing quietly behind his daughter. Bewildered, he nodded towards the man, who inclined his head back, before returning to the morning paper. Sakura rolled her eyes, tugging Itachi towards the kitchen just in time for her mother's head to pop out.

"Sakura-chan! I see you brought company with you this time," she said slyly, before addressing her guest, "Would you like some tea, Itachi-san?"

Sakura thought he looked considerably calm, considering the reason he was accompanying her back to her parent's place. Of course, growing up with Mikoto as a mother had prepared him well enough for the onslaught of wedding questions Haruno Momoka would be attacking them with. "Yes, please," he replied evenly before saying further, "I am here to request an audience with you and your husband, if you can spare the time."

Yes, Sakura was certain he was being much too calm. Her mother glanced between them with suspicion, as if she had a good feeling of what was going to be the topic of conversation. She smiled gently at them both, leading them both into the dining room. "Just wait here for a moment," Momoka said, leaving them alone. "I'll get the tea and my husband."

Sakura sagged visibly when her mother left. Itachi lifted a black eyebrow on his forehead in question. "Are you worried that your parents will not approve?" He asked in his mirth. She shot him a glare.

"_No," _she emphasized grumpily, "but I sort of wish you would look at least a little concerned. While my parents would never refuse a man like you, shouldn't you be considering the fact that they might?"

Itachi smirked at the thought. "I would have married you either way. If _my _parents had not approved, I probably would have simply asked you to elope with me," he hesitated for a second before adding, "Yukigure would have been far enough, don't you think? A little cold, though."

She snorted. "Okay, so you seriously planned to drag my ass all the way up to Yukigure to get married and have twenty kids?"

His eyes shined with entertainment. "Well, perhaps _twenty _would be a slight exaggeration, but I would have, if it was necessary."

"I have no doubt," she muttered back sarcastically. "Just for that, I hope that we only have girls. I'm sure your parents would love that."

Sakura felt a shiver run down her back when he smirked back at her deviously. "We would keep trying for a boy."

She could not understand for the life of her why he liked that idea so much. For now, she would ignore it, even if she hated that he got the last word, until they were in a more private setting. She was glad she decided to not respond, because her mother walked in just then, her father in tow. Sakura watched as her mother poured them each a mug of tea.

She then glanced up at Itachi, who appeared to be collecting his thoughts. Finally, he spoke. "I will cut right to the chase," he stated frankly. "I have asked your daughter for her hand in marriage, and she has accepted my offer."

Sakura stared up at him in astonishment as her mother squealed excitedly. She almost asked him why he had to announce everything in such an obnoxious way. This was only the second time her parents had really met him too; she pondered over what they must have thought of him, from the impression he made. Not that it really mattered, Sakura supposed.

Her father was quick to recover, though. It was rare when anything took him by surprise, anyway. He must have been anticipating the day Itachi would come to announce their engagement from the day he had admitted he was courting her, she surmised.

"You are the clan heir, Uchiha-san," Haruno Tadashi stated quietly, before slowly running a hand through short strands of red hair, a sign of distress. "Will your parents even allow you to marry our daughter?"

Sakura smiled despite herself. Her father's only concern, as usual, was her happiness. If he even suspected for a moment that she would be miserable, he would go out of his own way to correct the problem. Itachi's response was just as intense and fiercely protective. "My parents have nothing to do my relationship with Sakura, and they will not stop me." He paused though, closing his eyes for a moment. "Incidentally, my parents _do _approve of my choice. What I wish for is your blessing so I can become the first Uchiha heir to ever marry outside the clan."

Endless, onyx eyes slid open again, long lashes caressing his high cheekbones. "If you are against this match, I hope you realize that it will change nothing. I am determined to marry Sakura, even if it means we have to elope to and move to Yukigure."

This seemed to satisfy Tadashi. It was obvious that Itachi cared very much for his only child, and that was what really mattered. "If that is the way you feel, I have no reason to refuse you," he receded, giving his daughter a small smile. "When you have children of your own, Uchiha-san, you will understand how important it is to protect them from things that will hurt them."

Sakura sighed with relief. "This whole thing would not have been so dramatic if you could just do things _normally, _Itachi. You have to prepare people before saying such surprising things." She accused flippantly. "I mean, _seriously."_

Her comment was ignored, however. "Thank you, Haruno-san," Itachi said at last, bowing his head respectfully.

Momoka saw this as being given free reign to speak at a thousand words per minute.

* * *

Itachi glanced to his side, where Sakura was elegantly sitting. She had adorned a _Shiromaku _for the occasion, traditionally white to represent purity with the _kami _as witness to this, and a veil rested on her head, only allowing a small portion of her naturally pink hair to show. Underneath, her hair was put up, and she was wearing the second antique of the three, a turtleshell comb, and her face had been painted white; his mother had not wanted to pass up any tradition for their Shinto marriage. He then glanced to the table lining one of the Nakano shrine's walls, amused by his younger brother's put-out expression. Itachi should have been glad that his brother had not fought attending the ceremony.

Uzumaki Naruto, sitting on the side where Sakura's family was situated, looked as if he was internally conflicted between whether he should glare daggers at him, or be happy for the girl he considered to be a sister.

He looked back at his bride. She was practically glowing. They had waited for a fall wedding, making it a year since their relationship had started. At the Shinto priest's urge, Itachi took the smallest _sakazuki_ and swallowed three small sips of sake, before Sakura followed in suit. Both of their mothers had insisted on a S_an-San-Kudo _ceremonial wedding, and neither he nor Sakura had fought the idea. Nothing about their engagement or courtship had been normal, so it was nice to add a customary thing to their relationship. Of course, after much deliberation, his mother had forced him and Sakura to preform a proper _Yunio, _in which they had exchanged gifts of konbu and cuttlefish, wrapped in rice paper.

They both drank from the second and third _sakazuki, _and officially were bound as husband and wife. After a series of bows and claps to acknowledge the _kami _and conclude the ceremony, the small party transitioned smoothly to where the reception was to be held, thanks to the combined planning efforts of Uchiha Mikoto and Haruno Momoka. Much to the couple's horror, their mothers had become a fearless team, and had arranged the most extravagant reception that they possibly could have. It felt as if all of Konoha was in attendance.

Sakura had changed into a lovely red _Iro Uchikake, _while he remained in his _Montsuki, _and over the course of several hours, each guest had approached them to wish them luck in their marriage. It was very hard for Itachi to sit next to her without stealing her away for a moment of privacy. His patience was quickly ebbing, and Itachi was certain he would do something inappropriate if it lasted much longer. Then she gave him a look, and it was so beautiful and joyous that he could not cut their reception short. She was enjoying it. He would not ruin it for her.

Resigned, he watched in admiration as she happily hugged each of her kunoichi friends, whom had all formed a circle around her. It was Yamanaka Ino who had jokingly asked when Sakura would be _popping out emotionally constipated, pink-haired Uchiha-babies. _

"We are in no rush to produce an heir," Itachi had interjected silkily. The kunoichi flocking around his bride giggled, as if he had said something amusing, but Sakura growled at his comment.

"You are going to jinx it. I'll be pregnant in a month in that case." She grumbled, glaring up at him.

Itachi chuckled to himself. "Oh? How is that?"

She pulled him closer by his _Haori_. "Because, Itachi," she breathed into his ear, "that's how it works with you. On the night you told your parents that we _were in no rush _to have sex, we ended up getting it on in my apartment," Sakura then released him, giving him a devious wink. "Besides," she added slyly, "we already made a deal that there weren't going to be any babies around until I'm twenty. You can wait a few months to get me knocked up, I think."

Itachi looked particularly smug at this. "Even if you conceive in the next month, you do realize that you _would _be twenty by the time the child was born, right?"

Her eyes widened for a second, before they narrowed again. She smiled politely to her friends, giving them a wave as she said sweetly that her damn husband was going to get his ass whipped. Then she was pulling him away. Exactly as he had hoped she would. It was high time they snuck out for what Itachi had been looking forward to since first seeing Sakura in her formal, wedding attire.

* * *

_A Month Later_

"Dammit, Itachi, I _told _you not to say that! This is all your fault!" Sakura wailed, clutching the porcelain bowl of a toilet as his hand kept her hair out of her face. "I don't even want to know how you plan on telling my parents about this one," she continued, "but you sure as hell aren't going to be so goddamned blunt this time. I swear, you better not say something stupid, like, _'oh, I managed to switch Sakura's birth control with a bunch of sugar pills, so when we fucked like crazy, I got her pregnant.'" _She said, mimicking his deeper voice and giving him a halfhearted, disgruntled glare.

Itachi, however, smiled back tenderly. "I did no such thing. It was your idea to stop taking the birth control, if I do recall, and," he paused dramatically, "don't give me any ideas."

"It's your penis, so it's your fault!"

Itachi laughed softly, not really knowing how he was ever supposed to respond to such an accusation. He decided he would let her win and take responsibility, not that he really minded doing so. He was too busy being happy that he was going to be a father.

* * *

AN: I will probably write an epilogue to this. At the same time, I might not. I don't know yet. But it won't be very long, if I do. I'm still deliberating. Anyway...this was pretty much a chapter to tie things up. Hopefully it wasn't too choppy, but I will admit I jumped around a lot. The last part was a joke I expanded on more than I intended to, but you get the gist.

About the wedding...I researched (for hours on end) the japanese wedding traditions the best as I possibly could, but most of the information I found was very vague, and only painted a broad picture of how it all works. I'm sure someone who's reading this right now knows more about it than I do...but all I can say is that I tried. It didn't make sense that Sakura get married in a church with a western gown and Itachi in a tuxedo. I'm pretty sure the cast of Naruto is NOT Christian, and there _is _a shrine in the Uchiha compound. Whether it is Shinto or not is left to be determined.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading my fic so far, and please drop me a review. :) You guys are awesome.


	25. Epilogue: A Second Heartbeat

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

I fear it all too much but part of me believes; As the years pass away you made me recognize:

I'm lost and lonely, scared and hiding.

Blind without you.

* * *

Sasuke huffed, entering the large home without bothering to knock. He was fairly certain that neither Itachi, Sakura, or any of his four nephews would really care. He removed his shoes in the entrance area, then followed a long, slightly narrow hallway into the kitchen. The one person he was looking for, however, was not in sight. Instead he found two little boys, on of them only just four years old, and his companion nearing three.

They were a devilish duo who never seemed to give their mother rest, at least not until Itachi stuck his head in to put them in their place. At heart, Sasuke knew they were good boys, if not a little stubborn. This was to be expected however, considering who their parents were. Sasuke had not thought that being pig-headed could be passed on through genetics until his brother's sons had been born.

He decides not to scold Takumi and Kyou for teaming together to reach the jar of sweets Sakura kept on top of the refrigerator. With an amused shake of his head, Sasuke continued on out of the kitchen to the porch. There, he finds his old brother sitting across from his eldest son, who had turned eight in the last spring, a shogi board placed between them. Itachi looked up at him with an entertained expression as Shota stared at the board thoughtfully. Baby Kenji sat in his father's lap, gnawing at a rubber dinosaur with a determined intensity.

"Takumi and Kyou are climbing on the refrigerator to get sweets," Sasuke comments conversationally.

Itachi makes an amused sound in the back of his throat. "I know," he answers in a humored tone, then elaborating why he was not after their hides. "Sakura was feeling especially sadistic after last time they decided to sneak into the jar without permission. She placed a special seal on that jar, which will take hours for them to decode, and if they do manage to open it, it is only a decoy," he states calmly, turning back to the board. "She hates it when they spoil their appetites."

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "You two are ruthless," he mutters, before asking, "Where is Sakura? I need to talk with her about something."

"She's upstairs, napping," he answers frankly, before inquiring, "Is it Ino again?"

Itachi realized a moment too late that he had just opened a whole new can of worms with this question. "That woman is being ridiculous," his younger brother grumbles, "I'm certain that she decided that I automatically became her personal slave, just because she's pregnant. If I had known it was going to be like this, I would never have agreed to try for kids." He states, crossing his arms.

"That isn't a very nice thing to say about oba-chan," Shota pointed out, never looking up from the game. He was resolved to beat his father at shogi at least once.

Sasuke frowned at his nephew's accusation. His brother glanced up at the sky for a moment, using it like a clock to tell the time, before settling Kenji in Shouta's lap and getting to his feet. "Watch your brother for me. I need to get your mother up."

He smirked to his younger brother, who still looked mildly uncomfortable after his son's reprimand. "Just so you know, Otouto," Itachi started, "you _are _Ino's personal slave. This is only your first child, so you wouldn't know yet, but when a woman's hormones are running rapid like that, you _let _her have her way," he said smartly. Sasuke knew he was speaking from experience more than anything else.

"Would you consider yourself Sakura's slave?" He shot back dubiously.

"In more ways than one."

He quietly chuckled at his brother's revolted expression, before leaving him with his sons. Cutting through a sitting room, Itachi stalked up the staircase to find his wife. After giving birth to four boys, she still refused to give up on having a daughter. Itachi was not bothered by this in the least. She was beginning to believe, however, after their third son, Kyou, that the reason she kept having so many sons (all with his pitch-black hair and dark eyes, might he add) was because she had threatened him with all girls, ironically enough.

This was the reason she was with child _again, _and already nineteen weeks in. The concerns she had once had regarding her fertility because of the incident with her mother were clearly unfounded. The only one who was just as pleased about this as Momoka was his own mother. Both women seemed to be trying to outside one another with their levels of grandmotherly spoiling. Itachi was happy though, and knew that even if Sakura longed for a daughter, she loved each of her sons very much.

Itachi opened the door to their bedroom, only to find the bed empty. It was not necessary for him to search very far, though, because Sakura was reclining in the tub of their bathroom. She was humming to herself and the fetus nestled in her womb as he entered. He sat on the ledge of the bath as she gently ran a washcloth over her swollen abdomen, watching the loving motions with pride.

"I found out something very interesting today," she commented softly as he knelt over to kiss her.

"Oh? What was that?" He asked in return.

She grinned up at him excitedly. "Tsunade-shishou wanted to do another examination to make sure everything was moving along smoothly. She found a second heartbeat though, so as it turns out, we're having twins."

Tsunade had resigned from office three years back, letting Naruto take up the position as Rokudaime Hokage. She had naturally returned to working in the hospital full-time, the place she belonged most of all. Consequently, Sakura had a lighter workload, wihch, considering her pregnancy, was a good thing.

Itachi's eyes widened in surprise, and his gaze dropped to her rounded stomach. She _was _a little large for how far along she was. He smiled down at her, resting a hand on her wet abdomen, only to be grabbed by the forearm and tugged into the hot water with her. She pulled his face down to meet hers again, pressing their lips together roughly and moaning into his touch. Itachi simply loved how sensitive his little mate was when carrying child. It was part of the reason he kept impregnating her; the sex was beyond mind-blowing, and she was near-constantly aroused.

"Was it really necessary to drag me into the bath too?" He asked.

"Of course," she answered, giving him a saucy smile.

He nodded his head, locking their lips together again for another moment of passionate entanglement. "We should celebrate tonight. Do you want to tell the boys?" He inquired, breathing heavily before capturing her sweet mouth again. His hands slid over her silky skin, playfully exploring.

She gasped when one of his teasing hands drifted a little too close to her sensitized core. "No, we'll tell them later," she panted raggedly as a long, slender finger glided home. "We're doing this _now. _I don't care _who _hears us."

* * *

"So, you're telling me that you're having twins," Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

Sakura looked abashed, turning away with a flushed face. "Yes," she answered.

"And you and Itachi decided _now _was the best time to have a celebratory fuck? When _I _was downstairs?"

She laughed nervously. "I guess so."

"And my stupid brother didn't bother to tell you I was over until _after _he had you come ten times?"

Sakura did not even think to hide her blush this time. "It was _not _ten times!"

Sasuke growled. "That isn't the point! Dammit, I heard _everything! _I could have lived my entire life without hearing all that!"

Sakura gaped at him. "Seriously? That's the first time you've heard us having sex?"

He gave her a flat stare. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?" Sasuke asked wearily.

"Probably not," she answered deviously, "but I'll tell you anyway. There's your last birthday party, the ceremony you were put in charge of Konoha's Police Force, when Itachi pulled me into the bathroom of your hospital room after I healed you-that's when Kenji happened-and," she counted out on her fingers.

"Don't forget the time when we did it at his wedding reception," came from down the hall. Sasuke proceeded to smash his head into the kitchen table. Repetitively.

"Oh!" She laughed, "And then, once we accidentally snuck into your old room thinking it was Itachi's a few years back during a family get-together, and your father caught us rolling around. I can't remember if you were still living at home or not."

"You guys still act like a pair of horny teenagers. No wonder you have so many freaking kids!" Sasuke snapped in frustration.

"You don't have sex with Ino on a regular basis?" Itachi asked sarcastically as he entered the room. He had changed after getting thoroughly soaked in the bath. "She _is _your wife."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know what? At this point, I really don't care. You two could have fucked on my _bed _and I wouldn't care. Can we just drop this subject? I really don't need to know about the different places you've had sex in."

"Actually, we probably _have _had sex on your bed."

Sasuke started to pull out his hair. "What the hell!"

Sakura, however, slapped her husband on the arm. "That was mean. You didn't need to tell him about _that." _

Itachi shrugged. _C'est la vie. _

"Okay, what did you need to ask me about?" Sakura tried weakly, patting her brother-in-law and dear friend on the shoulder. "How's Ino-pig doing?"

He visibly sagged at the question. Sakura was tempted to think he was pouting. "She has an awful attitude, won't let me even _touch _her, likes to cuddle with this stupid, giant pillow instead of me, and I've been exiled to sleeping on the couch."

Sakura sighed, giving him a sympathetic look. "I told her to go easy on you," she muttered, "but you need to understand that it's all hormones. Women will react to it in different ways, but this is all relatively normal, what you're experiencing. It'll probably start getting better by her second trimester."

"This happened in your first pregnancy?"

Sakura paused delicately, before answering, "No. Not at all," but she had to amend herself. "Well, I did have a huge pillow too, but I think Itachi must have burned it to hell at some point, to get me back to cuddling with him. Besides that, I was nothing like Ino, but you shouldn't worry about it. I promise to talk to her about being a little more agreeable."

Sasuke nodded his head thankfully, before questioning hesitantly, "If you weren't like Ino, what _were _you like?"

Itachi gave him a simple answer before she could even open his mouth. "Insatiable."

He stared at them both, horrified. "You people are just sick. I'm sad to say we're related."

Sakura stuck out her tongue. "You're just jealous that Ino isn't a horn-dog like me."

* * *

All four of the boys, even Kenji, who was most resistant, were in bed and asleep. Their three older sons were all excited by the prospect of two new siblings, which in their minds only meant more playmates, while their youngest was too young to really understand what was happening.

Sakura rolled onto her side, facing her husband in the dark of their room. His eyes shot open, and for a moment, they did nothing but stare at each other. "Six children is a lot," she murmured at last, curling closer to him.

His voice was faint. "Does it worry you?"

She exhaled slowly. "Yes, and then no," she mumbled. "If we don't get a girl this time, I'm not sure we should try again. We're going to need to make extensions on the house when the boys get older as it is, and I want to be able to give each of them all the time they deserve. They shouldn't be neglected just because I'm so set on having a daughter. At the same time, I really do want to have a baby girl I can dress up and play dolls with." She sighed again. "Am I being ridiculous?"

He reached up to stroke her hair. "I don't think so," he answered quietly. "Don't be so concerned about this, though. We can afford to add on more rooms to the house, and none of our sons are neglected. I know my father disapproves, since he was completely uninvolved with rearing up my brother and me, but I'm here too. If it takes twenty tries, we'll do it, until we get a daughter. Okay?"

Sakura laughed. "I think twenty tries is a little overboard."

He wriggled his eyebrows. "Maybe so," Itachi mumbled, pressing his thin lips to her forehead.

* * *

_The End_

* * *

AN: As I said it would be, the Prologue is really short. And utter crack. But I had a lot of fun writing it, and hopefully it was fun to read as well. I'm surprised by how fast I was able to get it out, but once I started, I couldn't stop.

A few things I would like to say in closing:

**1. This has been an amazing ride, and I'm so happy with all the positive feedback I've been given on this fic. You people are awesome. :)**

**2. I will not be writing anything more for this fic, but for those who would like to know, Sakura _does _end up having a daughter. One of the twins was a girl, and she has Sakura's green eyes. That doesn't stop them from having more Uchiha-babies, though.**

**3. I was so happy when so many people started asking about my next project. I've already started planning it, and it should be out in the next week or so, so keep your eyes out for it! It's going to be titled _Tabula Rasa_. And yes, I know someone else has named their ItaSaku fic that (I checked), but here's to not caring. I decided on what I would name it before looking, and I'm rather stubborn. I refuse to change my mind about it. Lol.**

**4. Another thing I thought of: The boys. I hope it wasn't too confusing, but in case, I'll list them from oldest to youngest, and their ages. Shota is eight, Takumi is four, Kyou is _almost _three, and Kenji is one. None of them look like Sakura. Except for big foreheads. ^^**

And now I'm done. I'll be surprised if anyone actually reads through all that crap. Kudos to you if you do.


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